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The original Heritage Classic between the Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens was staged on November 22, 2003. It was the first NHL game to be played outdoors. Twenty years later, Commonwealth Stadium will play host to Heritage Classic once again, this time with provincial rivals the Calgary Flames in the visitors role.
The festivities in 2003 commenced with an alumni game between Oilers and Canadiens greats. Fans braved the -16.8° C temperatures to watch Wayne Gretzky and the Oilers legends defeat Guy Lafleur and the Candiens legends by a score of 2-0.
The temperature dipped to -18.95° C for the main event. A then all-time record crowd of 57,167 fans watched the Oilers and Canadiens square off at Commonwealth Stadium. The Canadiens won the game 4-3, but the event isn’t remembered for the final result. It’s remembered for the spectacle and the novelty of a hockey game being played in a football stadium. It’s remembered for the memorable images, such as Canadiens goalie Jose Theodore sporting a toque over top of his mask throughout the game. Most importantly, it’s remembered for honouring the roots of the game by bringing the sentimental feelings of playing hockey in the great outdoors.
The success of the original Heritage Classic made the NHL want to hold more outdoor games. The league has scheduled at least one every year since 2008. The Winter Classic has become a New Year’s Day tradition, and the NHL Stadium Series has become a popular event as well.
Sunday’s game between the Oilers and Flames will be the seventh edition of the Heritage Classic. Previous editions were held in Edmonton, Calgary (2011), Vancouver (2014), Winnipeg (2016), Regina (2019), and Hamilton (2022). This will be the ninth outdoor game to be played in Canada. The 2017 NHL Centennial Classic in Toronto and the 2017 NHL100 Classic in Ottawa were the other two non-Heritage Classic outdoor games played in Canada. The Oilers and Flames have both previously played in two Heritage Classics, and both teams have a 1-1 record in those games.
Related: McDavid eager to create new memories with Oilers at Heritage Classic
It will be MUCH warmer for the Battle of Alberta Heritage Classic than it was for the original. However, both the Oilers and Flames are cold to start the season. The Oilers are sporting a 1-5-1 record, and the Flames have a 2-5-1 record. That puts the teams in 31st and 30th in the league respectively.
Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong for the Oilers. Mattias Ekholm and Ryan McLeod missed all of training camp with injuries and they’ve been slow to start the season. Brett Kulak was injured mid-way through training camp and has been slowed by that. Connor McDavid missed the last two games with an upper body injury sustained in last Saturday’s loss to the Winnipeg Jets. The goaltending has been subpar, the defence has been prone to turnovers, and the team isn’t scoring.
The good news for the Oilers is that McDavid appears set to make his return to the lineup. McDavid practiced in full yesterday and all but indicated that he would play. TSN’s Ryan Rishaug shared this report on Twitter on Sunday morning:
Things haven’t been much better for the Flames, especially recently. The team has lost four straight games, and they’ve only scored a total of four goals in those four losses. Their goaltending has also left a lot to be desired. Andrew Mangiapane is leading the Flames with six points in eight games. Jonathan Huberdeau only has four points, and Nazem Kadri is really struggling with only one point in the young season. Notably, Rasmus Andersson will miss the Heritage Classic while serving the final game of his four-game suspension for his hit on Patrik Laine.
The Heritage Classic is a fun event that breaks up the monotony of the long season for everyone involved. Make no mistake about it though, this is an important game against a provincial rival for both teams. Both teams will be hoping that the Heritage Classic will serve as a turning point for their seasons.
Regardless of the result, let’s remember what the Heritage Classic is all about. It’s about celebrating the game’s past. The Oilers will be wearing uniforms inspired by the Edmonton Mercurys, who won the ice hockey tournament at the Olympics in Olso, Norway in 1952. The Flames will be wearing uniforms that pay homage to the Calgary Stampeders hockey teams of the 1950’s and 60’s.
Related: Oilers unveil Heritage Classic uniform
Sunday is sure to be a day of spectacle and excitement in Edmonton. The Heritage Classic is a special event that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Enjoy the game everyone!
