The Edmonton Oilers are a Canadian professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Oilers were established in 1972 as part of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and joined the NHL as one of four franchises during the 1979 NHL expansion. There have been 23 head coaches in their franchise history; seven during their time in the WHA (1972–1979) and seventeen during their time in the NHL (1979–present).