 However, Pocklington had signed him to a 21-year personal services contract in 1979 and Pocklington used the contract to force the NHL to admit the Oilers and allow the Oilers to keep Gretzky.Upon joining the NHL, the Oilers were placed in the Campbell Conference's Smythe Division.They were mediocre during the regular season in their first two seasons, finishing sixteenth and fourteenth respectively.