Fresh off of shocking the world (ok maybe really only Dallas) by defeating the Stars in a historic Game 7 that is the stuff dreams are made of, only to be eliminated in five games right afterwards by the Colorado Avalanche, and then the reversal of fate the next year beating the Avs only to lose to the Stars the Edmonton Oilers announced a bench shuffle that would alter their history for years to come. They hired the all-time leader in games played in the orange/blue/copper/red/silver jersey Kevin Lowe as an assistant coach. Flash forward to a year later on this date, June 18th, when they replaced then head coach Ron Low with Kevin Lowe, continuing his fast track to the head office.

Ron Low was a long-tenured coach on the team, having spent time coaching the minor league affiliate Cape Breton and Nova Scotia Oilers. In 1990 he was promoted to assistant with the Edmonton Oilers, a spot he would maintain until in 1995 when late in the season he was promoted to Head Coach after the oustering of George Burnett. He would lead the team to three playoff appearances in four full seasons before being replaced by Lowe.

Kevin Lowe would only coach for one season behind the bench of his beloved Oilers. He added fellow “boy on the bus” Craig MacTavish to his staff that season. After leading the Oil to a 32-26-16 record that year, the Oilers would end up being swept by their perennial dance partner Dallas Stars.

Long-time GM of the team Glen Sather would leave the team after that year and Lowe would once again find himself promoted to another part of the organization, as general manager of the team — a position he would hold until he would be promoted for the third time in 2008-09 to Director of Hockey Operations.

Love him or hate him, Lowe is definitely a big part of Edmonton’s history.