July 2 | 5:46 PM

Pharmaceutical store magnate...Billionaire and now sole edmonton oilers owner.

He's only the third owner in Oilers' history and probably the one we know least about. Daryl Katz emerged from the shadows Wednesday to offically take over the reigns.

Metro News article
By Andrew Cowie

Once inches away from a new hometown somewhere in the United States, the Edmonton Oilers now officially belong to one guy from Edmonton: elusive billionaire businessman Daryl Katz.

"So we finally meet face to face," Katz joked yesterday at a news conference at Rexall Place. Katz has said little to the media since he began his quest to buy the team.

Following Peter Pocklington and then the Edmonton Investors Group, Edmonton born and raised Katz is the new owner of the NHL team, and after several offers over the last 15 months he said he was glad for everything to be official.

"All I can say is that it's nothing short of a dream come true," Katz said.

Katz said that while he'll be involved with the operations of the team and whenever management calls for his assistance, he will be letting those best qualified to deal with running the team.

"We'll leave it to the professionals and management to handle the day to day operations," said Katz.

Along with Katz, a video message from league commissioner Gary Bettman, and Oilers management, all stressed that without the involvement of the Cal Nichols and the investors group the Edmonton Oilers would be but a distant memory.

"Without Cal and the shareholders none of us would be here," said Katz. "

Nichols and others returned the praise on the new owner, saying that while Katz may seem elusive to the general public, he is not only a family man but one who cares deeply about the state of the team and its future going forth.

"[His] leadership in this undertaking will raise the bar and change the face of Edmonton," said Nichols. "I would like to congratulate Daryl Katz…for making a major commitment for a new-generation NHL building."