The Tulsa Oilers will play the vast majority of their 72 regular-season games against the seven other teams in the ECHL’s Mountain Division. Knowing those opponents is the best way to understand the standings — and to pick which home games to circle. Here is a team-by-team guide to Tulsa’s division for 2026-27, ordered by how often the Oilers will see them.
The 2026-27 Mountain Division
Allen Americans, Idaho Steelheads, Kansas City Mavericks, New Mexico Goatheads, Rapid City Rush, Tahoe Knight Monsters, Tulsa Oilers and Wichita Thunder — eight teams in the ECHL’s Western Conference.
Wichita Thunder — 14 games
Home: INTRUST Bank Arena, Wichita, Kansas
The oldest and most important rivalry on Tulsa’s schedule. The Thunder and Oilers have shared a league every season since 1992-93, and this year they meet 14 times — more than the previous two seasons combined. Wichita finished at the bottom of the division last season after Tulsa beat them 7-6 in overtime on the final night, so the Thunder have extra motivation. Read the full story of the Oilers–Thunder rivalry.
Kansas City Mavericks — 10 games
Home: Cable Dahmer Arena, Independence, Missouri
The standard-setter. Kansas City enters the season as the defending Mountain Division champion and Brabham Cup winner for the ECHL’s best regular-season record. The Mavericks also ended Tulsa’s playoff runs in both 2024 and 2025, as our ECHL-era history shows. If the Oilers want to win the division, the road goes through Independence — including back-to-back New Year’s games on December 31 and January 1.
Allen Americans — 9 games
Home: Allen, Texas, in the Dallas suburbs
Allen was Tulsa’s most frequent opponent for the previous three seasons, and the familiarity shows. The Americans open the season at the BOK Center on October 17 and return for the annual Kid’s Day game on October 27 and a weekend pair on November 14 and 15. Tulsa won the first meeting of 2026-27, 5-4 on opening night, as our opening night recap explains.
Idaho Steelheads — 9 games
Home: Idaho Central Arena, Boise, Idaho
One of the ECHL’s model franchises, with a passionate fan base and a long track record of competitive teams. Games in Boise are among the longest trips on Tulsa’s schedule, which makes taking points from Idaho at the BOK Center especially important.
Tahoe Knight Monsters — 9 games
Home: Tahoe Blue Event Center, Stateline, Nevada
One of the league’s newer clubs, playing in a striking mountain setting on the shores of Lake Tahoe. Like Idaho, Tahoe is a long trip from Oklahoma, and home games against the Knight Monsters are valuable chances to bank points.
Rapid City Rush — 6 games
Home: The Monument, Rapid City, South Dakota
Another former CHL club that moved into the ECHL with Tulsa in 2014. The schedule splits the series evenly, with three games in Tulsa and three in Rapid City.
New Mexico Goatheads — 6 games
Home: Rio Rancho, New Mexico
The ECHL’s newest team, an expansion franchise returning pro hockey to Rio Rancho. The Goatheads’ first-ever meetings with Tulsa come in a three-game series at the BOK Center starting December 18, and Tulsa makes its only trip to New Mexico in late March for three games.
Outside the division
Tulsa also faces three Eastern and Central opponents in 2026-27: a three-game series at the BOK Center against the Worcester Railers over Thanksgiving weekend, two road games against the Wheeling Nailers in January and the franchise’s first-ever meetings with the Savannah Ghost Pirates in February.
What it means for the standings
With eight teams in the division, typically the top four reach the Kelly Cup playoffs. Head-to-head games are “four-point games”: beating a direct rival both gains you points and denies them points. For Tulsa, the 24 combined meetings with Wichita and Kansas City will go a long way toward deciding whether the 75th season ends in April or continues into the spring.
Opponent counts and dates come from the Oilers’ official 2026-27 schedule release, and current standings are on ECHL.com. See our 2026-27 season preview for key dates, or read how the ECHL works.
