The Western Hockey League is home to such top players as Oilers prospect Devan Dubnyk (pictured above) of the Kamloops Blazers.

Today at a Western Hockey League Board of Governors Meeting in Calgary, a decision was made to conditionally award the Edmonton Oilers a WHL expansion team for the 2007/08 season. The Oilers have been granted 30 days to study the conditions of the expansion, and to assess their suitability as it pertains to their business plan.

For some time now, Oilers President & CEO Patrick LaForge has spearheaded the pursuit of a junior hockey team to play out of Rexall Place. Now that WHL Commissioner Ron Robison has confirmed the conditional expansion, LaForge is pleased that the WHL gave its full attention to the Oilers application, and looks forward to further investigating the terms and conditions of the expansion.

"We have thirty days to study the conditions imposed by the WHL, and to give them our full due diligence," said Patrick LaForge, President & CEO of the Edmonton Oilers. "Hopefully, in the next month, well be able to move forward in officially welcoming the Western Hockey League back to Rexall Place, and one of the greatest hockey markets in the world."

Further details on Edmontons WHL expansion team will be announced in the coming weeks.