The Edmonton Oilers are headed back to the playoffs with home-ice advantage after a strong end to the regular season.
Game 1 for the Oilers is Monday night at 8 p.m. MT against the Los Angeles Kings at home at Rogers Place.
For those unable to score the coveted tickets in the bowl, the Oilers organization is planning a number of ways to allow fans to still be part of the action.
This year, the Oilers Entertainment Group announced a second outdoor watch party location: The Ford Tailgate Party in Fan Park will allow fans to cheer on the east of Rogers Place and north of 104 Avenue.
Admission is free and gates will open two hours before puck drop. Fans are encouraged to show up early to get a spot and to bring along a non-perishable food item to support the new Fan Park Food Donation Program, led by the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation and Edmonton’s Food Bank.
“We want to pack this place with as many Oilers fans as we possibly can,” said Andrea Carroll, event operations director at OEG.
“There’s going to be lots of entertainment and things to do pre-game, and then obviously the big game on our massive screen.”
The tailgate parties will have a fully licensed 18-plus area as well as a family-friendly area. Both will offer live entertainment, hot food, cold beverages, Oilers alumni, appearances from mascot Hunter and the game broadcast on the big screen.
“To be in an environment to see how electric it is – it’ll be fun. I was a fan last year so this year working is going to be a lot more fun I think,” said Nev Palmer from the Orange and Blue Ice Crew.
There will also be the usual watch party, showing the game live from ICE District Plaza outside Rogers Place, the JW Marriott and Stantec Tower.
The two spaces can accommodate tens of thousands of people, Carroll said.
“The energy is honestly just the most electric thing you will ever experience in your life and there is nothing else like it,” said Carroll.
Watch parties were regularly at capacity when the Oilers were last in the playoffs in 2022, which is why the team wanted to open up a second space, according to Stu Ballantyne, president and CEO of Rogers Place and Ice District.
“We know that tickets get harder and harder to get through the playoffs, so let’s do whatever we can to get as many people into downtown and really celebrate everything about the Oilers and everything about Edmonton,” said Ballantyne.
For away games, fans will also have the opportunity to buy a $5 ticket to watch the game on the jumbotron inside Rogers Place. Arena food and drink will be available during those games.
630 CHED will have radio coverage starting two hours before each game with the Faceoff Show with Reid Wilkins.
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