Edmonton Junior Oilers White Make History with First-Ever National Ice Hockey Championship for Edmonton
NEWS RELEASE
Edmonton, AB — The Edmonton Junior Oilers White U18 AAA have made history by winning the 2025 Esso Cup, marking the first time a minor hockey team from Edmonton — men’s or women’s — has captured a Hockey Canada national championship. The Junior Oilers claimed gold in dominant fashion, defeating the Saskatoon Stars 7–3 in the final and cementing a landmark achievement for girls’ and women’s hockey and the city of Edmonton. Prior to this, the closest Edmonton-based teams came to winning gold were the Edmonton Thunder, who earned silver in 2014, and an Edmonton men’s team that took silver in 1967.
The Esso Cup win capped off a record-breaking season for the Junior Oilers, who finished the regular season with a near-perfect 27-0-1 record (their only blemish an overtime loss). They swept through the Alberta Female Hockey League (AFHL) U18 AAA Playoffs and the Pacific Regional Championship without a single defeat. At Nationals, the Junior Oilers outscored their opponents 31–7, delivering a commanding performance from start to finish.
In the final, Assistant Captain Paige Smith opened the scoring and set the tone for the game. Her standout play earned her the title of Esso Cup Tournament MVP, awarded by Hockey Canada. The team’s relentless forechecking, led by Keira Grant, Reanna Loberg, and Tayah Wallace, overwhelmed opponents. Offensive threats Evie Hanson and Ciara Lang both recorded multi-point games, while Ella Dunham-Fox and Taya Christie delivered elite-level goaltending throughout the tournament.
“This team has been nothing short of extraordinary,” said Head Coach Joel Lenius. “From the start of the season to this moment, they’ve shown incredible drive, resilience, and unity. To win the first-ever national championship for Edmonton hockey is something they will carry with them forever.”
Despite losing team captain Layla Matthew mid-season to injury, the Junior Oilers rallied and dedicated their championship run to her.
Over the course of the 2024–25 campaign, the Junior Oilers White played an astounding 74 games, a schedule that rivals professional standards. For comparison, teams in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) play 24 regular-season games, and National Hockey League (NHL) teams play 82. The Junior Oilers’ workload is a testament to the endurance, consistency, and passion of these student-athletes.
Their 2024–25 roster was stacked with top-tier talent. Eight players returned from last year’s Esso Cup bronze medal team, six represented Team Alberta at the 2024 U18 Women’s National Championship, and two players were selected to attend Hockey Canada's 2024 National Women's Under-18 Team selection camp, further highlighting the exceptional talent on this team. Impressively, 17 of the team’s 20 players have either committed or signed to NCAA Division 1 or U SPORTS programs, with the remaining three ineligible due to age.
Edmonton led the AFHL with 124 goals during the regular season — 36 more than the next closest team — and boasted eight of the league’s top 10 scorers. Leading the charge was Parker Small (11G, 20A), while rookie standout Tavia Koscielnuk added 11 goals and 26 points. On the blue line, Ciara Lang (8G, 19A), Cadence Richards (8G, 18A), and Bree Prediger (9G, 14A) were offensive powerhouses. Defensively, the Junior Oilers were just as formidable. Goaltenders Taya Christie and Ella Dunham-Fox ranked first and second in both goals-against average (GAA) and save percentage across the AFHL.
However, the Junior Oilers White haven’t just broken records, they’ve broken barriers. They became the first all-female team authorized by the Edmonton Oilers and the NHL to wear the iconic Oilers jersey in official, season-long competition, and also made history as the first AFHL team to play a league-sanctioned game at Rogers Place.
ADDITIONAL 2024-25 KEY STATS:
INDIVIDUAL PLAYER ACHIEVEMENTS
Paige Smith — Esso Cup Tournament MVP (awarded by Hockey Canada, Esso Cup)
Cadence Richards — Most Dedicated Athlete (awarded by Hockey Canada, Pacific Regionals)
Reanna Loberg — Most Valuable Player (awarded by Hockey Canada, Pacific Regionals)
Ciara Lang — AFHL Defender of the Year (awarded by Hockey Alberta)
Taya Christie — AFHL Top Goaltender (awarded by Hockey Alberta)
ESSO CUP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
Preliminary Round Record: 4-1-0 (1st overall)
Semifinal: Defeated Lloydminster Steelers 1-0 (OT)
Final: Defeated Saskatoon Stars 7-3
Result: National Champions
PACIFIC REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP
Defeated Greater Vancouver Comets 2-0 (3-2, 4-0) to advance to the Esso Cup
AFHL PLAYOFFS RECAP
Quarterfinal: Defeated Sherwood Park Kings 2-0 (5-2, 7-1)
Semifinal: Defeated Calgary Fire Red 2-0 (3-1, 1-0)
Final: Defeated St. Albert Slash 2-0 (5-1, 3-0)
Record: 8-0
Goals For: 31
Goals Against: 7
Top Playoff Performers:
Keira Grant – 7G, 4A, 11P
Daniella Martorana – 2G, 5A, 7P
Reanna Loberg – 3G, 3A, 6P
Julia Curran – 3G, 3A, 6P
AFHL REGULAR SEASON RECAP
Record: 27-0-1 (1st in Alberta Female Hockey League)
Goals For: 124 (1st in AFHL)
Goals Against: 26 (1st in AFHL)
Longest Winning Streak: 21 games (Oct. 2 – Jan. 19)
Top Regular Season Scorers:
Parker Small – 11G, 20A, 31P (2nd in AFHL)
Ciara Lang – 8G, 19A, 27P (3rd in AFHL)
Evie Hanson – 12G, 14A, 26P (4th in AFHL)
OTHER NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
Junior Oilers program’s first-ever Esso Cup National Championship.
Edmonton’s first-ever National Championship in ice hockey.
2024–25 season post-secondary commitments: All 17 eligible players secured NCAA Division I or U SPORTS athletic and academic scholarships.
EDMONTON'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
2025 – Edmonton Junior Oilers | gold medal
2024 – Edmonton Junior Oilers | bronze medal
2015 – Edmonton Thunder | 5th place
2014 – Edmonton Thunder | silver medal
2013 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal
2012 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal
2011 – Edmonton Thunder | silver medal
2010 – Edmonton Thunder | bronze medal
2009 – Edmonton Thunder | 4th place
UNIVERSITY COMMITMENTS (2024-25 ROSTER)
Taya Christie – University of British Columbia (2025)
Julia Curran – Boston University (2026)
Ella Dunham-Fox – University of British Columbia (2026)
Keira Grant – University of New Brunswick (2025)
Evie Hanson – Union College (2026)
Dejah Howes – University of Windsor (2025)
Ciara Lang – Clarkson University (2026)
Reanna Loberg – Union College (2026)
Daniella Martorana – Merrimack College (2026)
Layla Matthew – Clarkson University (2025)
Bree Prediger – Merrimack College (2026)
Cadence Richards – Brown University (2025)
Maddy Renfree – University of New Brunswick (2025)
Jayde Sansregret – University of New Brunswick (2025)
Paige Smith – Bemidji State University (2026)
Parker Small – Long Island University (2026)
Tayah Wallace – University of British Columbia (2025)
THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS
The Junior Oilers White extend heartfelt thanks to the sponsors who helped make this historic championship possible:
Premier Partners:
Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation (Even Strength Program)
Edmonton Minor Hockey Association Alumni
Eat Sleep Grow Inc.
SureHire
Gold Partners:
Alberta Métis Nation
Big M Lincoln Ford
Chemco
StimWrx
West Rock Inc.
Silver Partners:
Ager Land and Cattle
Confederation Hockey Club
Coyote Den Wildlife Services Inc.
Kramer Family
Lurch’s Winchin’
Q2 ALS
South Side Athletic Club
West Side Acura
Windy Plains Limousin Ltd.
The Edmonton Oilers' groundbreaking partnership stands as the first of its kind in Canada, offering the Junior Oilers White unparalleled NHL-level support, access, and opportunities, equal to their male/co-ed counterparts, Junior Oilers Blue and Orange.
