A first round draft pick and a should have been first round draft pick book end the history of the number 3. Who else wore the number in the middle? Let's recollect!
2007-08 through 2011-12
The Oil Kings first selection in the 2007 WHL Draft was Mark Pysyk. The young teen played out his entire WHL career with Edmonton winning the Oil Kings Defenceman of the Year all four of his full seasons with the Club. The 2008-09 Oil Kings Rookie of the Year, Pysyk's name will (should) always be mentioned in conversations about who the top defenseman of the modern era have been.
He wore the "A" in '09-10 leveling up the Captain "C" his final years. Pysyk was named Team MVP in '09-10 and '10-11, the first of three players to ever win back-to-back MVP's. In his senior year, Mark added the Humanitarian of the Year Oil Kings Award to his collection. A first round draft pick of the Buffalo Sabres, Pysyk was the second drafted Oil Kings player to debut in the NHL.
2014-15 through 2017-18
Brayden Gorda's 151 WHL games were all as an Edmonton Oil King. Gorda missed the first half of his final year as he stepped away from hockey to mourn the loss of one of his best friends. Gorda was acquired by the Victoria Royals the summer of '18 but never appeared in a game for them.
2018-19 and 2019-20
A rookie on the 2018 Memorial Cup Champion Swift Current Broncos, injuries marred Jacson Alexander's time in Edmonton. His '18-19 season did not even get to Hallowe'en before being ended by injury. His 19-20 was played between October 6th to Februrary 6th as Alexander elected to have season ending surgery.
2020-21 and 2021-22
Rookie Blake Heward dressed for 20 games in 20-21 after signing on February 25th. In the '21-22, Heward was traded for a pretty significant player in Oil Kings folklore.
2023-24 to current
A projected first round draft pick in the recent NHL Draft, Blake Fiddler slipped into the second landing with Seattle. Being presumptious the 6'5" smooth skating defenceman will miss the first couple weeks of the Oil Kings season while still at NHL camp.
Speaking personally, my favourite memory of Fiddler was when "MacKer" went down last season Fiddler's game found another level. Whether he needed to be Paul Coffey and skate end-to-end with the puck or be hard nosed in front of his net like his new coach Jason Smith, Fiddler showed everyone he could do that and everything in between. Much like the two previous NHL players mentioned, the odd miscue that wound up behind his goaltender would not stop his mojo, only increase it. Let's enjoy him this year Oil Kings fans, it's going to be much more expensive to see him play at Rogers Place sooner than later.