RELEASE: Oilers to celebrate Pride on March 25

EDMONTON, AB - The Edmonton Oilers will be showing their support for diversity, inclusion and 2SLGBTQ+ communities when they host the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday, March 25 at Rogers Place -- and the largest 50/50 raffle in professional sports will support MacEwan University's Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity (CSGD).
The NHL's United by Hockey Mobile Museum is also stopping in ICE District Plaza on March 25 to celebrate the game's trailblazers, change-makers and business leaders spanning across multiple under-represented and multicultural demographics.
During the game, Pride colours will take over Rogers Place and Oilers players will use Edmonton's own Pride Tape on their sticks during warmup. The sticks will be auctioned at a later date with the net proceeds donated to the CSGD. There will also be a series of information booths on the main concourse at Rogers Place where fans can learn more about Pride Tape, the CSGD and Who's Hockey -- the first release in the Hockey is for Everyone children's book series in partnership with the NHL, co-authored by Pride Tape co-founder Jeff McLean.
The Oilers will also be showcasing a number of 2SLGBTQ+ community leaders whose work has helped make Oil Country a more inclusive place for everyone, including Oilers anthem singer Robert Clark, who will be joined on the ice by a number of local allies and fellow changemakers.

"This night is not only about OEG and the Oilers standing alongside the 2SLGBTQ+ community as friends, allies and partners, and ensuring everyone feels welcome and included in Rogers Place and in the sport of hockey," said Tim Shipton, EVP, OEG Sports & Entertainment. "This night is also about recognizing the work of the community leaders who have dedicated much of their lives to shifting the paradigm of diversity, equity and inclusion.
"This is about honouring the true heroes of this story, and it is thanks to them that one day kids of any identity or background will be able to grow up in Oil Country proud of who they are and who they love without fear of exclusion or abuse."
As the night's 50/50 beneficiary, MacEwan University's Centre for Sexual and Gender Diversity supports cutting-edge, community-based research, teaching and service work related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression throughout Oil Country.
"The EOCF shares the belief that everyone has the right to live, learn, work and play in a safe environment," said Corey Smith, EOCF Board Chair. "This ongoing partnership with our friends and neighbours at the CSGD will not only help raise awareness of the work underway at MacEwan University, it also sends a strong message to the sports world that diversity, equality and inclusion should be celebrated -- and that hockey can be an inclusive sport for everyone."

"We are thrilled to continue our important partnership with the Oilers, OEG and the EOCF," said Dr. Kristopher Wells, co-founder of Pride Tape and Canada Research Chair for the Public Understanding of Sexual and Gender Minority Youth. "Together we are committed to creating more inclusive, welcoming, and respectful sporting and community environments.
"Celebrations like tonight's game are critical in helping to educate about 2SLGBTQ+ communities and the importance of actively supporting human rights. Silence is never neutral. Sport is at a crossroads and we need more allies to stand up, speak out, and actively show their support for diversity, equity, and human rights. I'm proud of the work we are doing in Oil Country and the opportunity we have to continue to lead by example."
Dr. Wells, along with Edmonton-based art director Jeff McLean, has previously worked with the Oilers and OEG Sports & Entertainment on other initiatives in support of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, including the launch of Pride Tape, which all 32 teams in the NHL now use as a symbol of inclusion, and the 2022 Pride Cup in ICE District Plaza alongside the Edmonton Rage and the Calgary Pioneers. The Pride Cup will return to ICE District this summer.
In addition to the game on March 25, the Oilers will also be hosting the NHL's United by Hockey Mobile Museum in ICE District Plaza. The museum will open from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM and entry is free of charge.