NEW YORK / TORONTO – The Edmonton Oilers-Calgary Flames' storied "Battle of Alberta" rivalry, the 20th anniversary of the first-ever NHL outdoor game, Edmonton's "The Oil Capital of Canada" adopted slogan, Alberta's Indigenous community, and hometown hitmakers Nickelback and Brett Kissel will take centerstage in the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic on Sunday, Oct. 29 (5 p.m. MT, SN, TVAS, TBS, B/R Sports on Max), the National Hockey League announced today. A limited number of tickets are available for purchase via Ticketmaster, the official ticketing partner of the NHL.
In a rendering released today, the NHL provided a preview of the conversion of Commonwealth Stadium for the Oilers-Flames outdoor hockey game and the visual cues designed to engage hockey fans and deliver lasting memories for a lifetime. (Rendering Credit: NHL/BaAM)
The NHL Heritage Classic field design showcases two larger-than-life player illustrations adorned with the specially-designed vintage uniforms and engaged in the timeless "Battle of Alberta," all set against the backdrop of Edmonton's oil country. Included in this landscape and adding to this visual narrative are the iconic oil field piping and derrick graphics shown on the left side (north) of the field, which pay homage to Edmonton and Alberta's historical prominence in the oil industry and the Oilers' moniker.
To commemorate Commonwealth Stadium as the site of the inaugural NHL Heritage Classic game two decades ago, a striking 20th-anniversary medallion is located on the right side of the field as well as on faceoff dot markers on the rink. The Calgary and Edmonton team-coloured striping and logos, featured below the rink, were created exclusively for this event and sit on both sides of the NHL-branded entertainment stage located below center ice. An auxiliary rink– adorned with the Tim Hortons logo - sits between the player illustrations and will host youth players from a local Edmonton Timbits team.
Canadian indie rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage will lead pregame entertainment with a performance during the Oilers' and Flames' player introductions before settling in as the house band. The Oilers' Drum and Brass Crew and a rotation of Indigenous performers, including a drumline and dancers, will entertain fans throughout the game.
The opening ceremony will formally begin with a cultural performance featuring drummers and dancers from the Enoch Cree Nation, Inuit Nation, and the Metis Nation followed by a Land Acknowledgement led by Grand Chief Desmond Bull, International Chief Wilton Littlechild, Grand Chief Arthur Noskey, Chief Roy Whitney, Elder Edna Elias and Metis Nation of Alberta President Andrea Sandmaier.
Country music star Brett Kissel will perform the Canadian national anthem. American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided as part of the NHL's partnership with P-X-P. Founder and CEO of P-X-P Brice Christianson will serve as ASL interpreter and Linda Cundy will serve as the ASL performer. The Flag party is composed of members of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton. Members of the Canadian Forces Base Edmonton will hold the Canadian flag on the main rink during the Anthem. Two CT-155 Hawk jets from the Royal Canadian Air Force's 4 Cold Lake fighter base will fly over Commonwealth Stadium.
The opening ceremony will conclude with a ceremonial puck drop featuring Canadiens and Oilers players from the 2003 Heritage Classic outdoor game.
During the first intermission, the NHL will look back at the 2003 Heritage Classic with former Oilers Jason Chimera, Aleš Hemsky, Charlie Huddy, Georges Laraque, Fernando Pisani and Jarret Stoll. Diamond-certified rock band Nickelback will entertain fans with a performance from the main stage during the second intermission.
For the most up-to-date schedule of events – including the WestJet NHL Fan Park and the SiriusXM Canada Pregame Concert featuring The Beaches - and information on appearances and fan reminders, fans should visit NHL.com/HeritageClassic or download the NHL Fan Access™ App. For all NHL Heritage Classic news, follow @NHL and @PR_NHL and join the conversation by using the official hashtag #HeritageClassic.
All fans will be required to go through metal detectors upon entry into the WestJet NHL Fan Park and all bags will be subject to search. No bags larger than 4"x6"x1.5" will be allowed.
