TULSA, OK – Once again a storied old sports franchise is going to hoist a number into the rafters. In 80 years of professional hockey in Tulsa Oklahoma, the Tulsa Oilers have only retired the numbers of three players. On January 23rd a fourth number will rise to the ceiling of the BOK Center as the Oilers honor former left winger Doug Lawrence.
Lawrence has played for three other teams in the Central Hockey League, Memphis/Mississippi, Oklahoma City, and the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs (when they were in the WPHL), but he made a name for himself as a member of the Tulsa Oilers. One of the members of Tulsa’s only modern-era CHL championship squad in 1993, Lawrence’s number 9 joins defenseman Mike Berger (44) and Luc Beausoliel (17) as well as one of the original Oilers from the 1928 season, Sonny Wakeford (12) as hall of fame honorees.
Lawrence played some 6 seasons in Tulsa, amassing some 277 games played in an Oilers’ jersey. He was well-known for being an unselfish player with the puck, dishing out 560 assists, many of which went to his fellow jersye retiree Beausoliel. During the 1996-1997 season Lawrence handed off the puck 100 times, a rare thing in a single season. It’s no surprise then that his points total of 713 shattered the previous Oilers record holder, Sonny Wakeford, who posted 410 points. (source: hockeydb.com)
Numbers aside, Doug was a fan favorite. He was always hounded for autographs and always made time for the younger fans of the Oilers. His intensity on the ice was legendary as well. He was known for his deftness in assisting his teammates in scoring goals, but he was also known to get in the heads of opposing players as well. Last season, former coach Dan Hodge tabbed Lawrence to be an assistant coach soon after he himself was named head coach.
A few off-ice incidents blemished an otherwise stellar record in Tulsa, but on the whole all Oilers fans lift him up as one of their all-time favorite players. Son on January 23rd, 2009 the Tulsa Oilers will return the favor.
Contact the author at: rich.lohman@prohockeynews.com
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