“”You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky” – Michael Scott

Arena: Rogers Place (2016)
Location: Downtown Edmonton
Game Attended: March 13, 2019 vs. New Jersey
Seat Location: Upstairs Corner, Shoot 2x End
Game Result: 6-3 Devils Victory
Overall Impression: Absolutely Gorgeous Facility, Wayne Would be Proud

Coming off an underwhelming night at the Saddledome in Calgary, college friend Drew and I were hoping for a rebound in Edmonton. After all, we had many exciting prospects awaiting us to the north: meeting a new friend, exploring a (pretty much) brand new arena, and of course, watching Connor McDavid and the Oilers! So with our Tim Hortons’ donuts in hand and our fingers crossed, we hopped on the bus for the four-hour ride to Edmonton.

And Edmonton did not disappoint!

First off, we headed to the Mercer Tavern near Rogers Place for a pregame meal and a few local drinks (it’s a great sports bar a stone’s throw from the arena). We were very lucky to meet up with Rob Suggitt, a diehard Oilers fan and ardent traveler. Back in 2015, Rob attended 30 NHL games in 30 cities in 30 nights, and raised over $40,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in the process. Needless to say, Rob been an inspiration for me on my own journey, and it was an absolute pleasure to meet him for a pregame meal and share our respective arena tour stories. He was even kind enough to contribute to my fundraising campaign, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Anywho, let’s get to Rogers Place itself. it was a FAR cry from the outdated Saddledome; it’s a state of the art facility with energetic fans! Located in the heart of Downtown Edmonton, it’s close to great pre and postgame spots, and it’s a very contemporary building. And when your first impressions walking into the building are a statue of Wayne Gretzky and replicas of the team’s five Stanley Cups in the window, you know it’s going to be a good night.

The interior of Rogers Place was clean, well-organized, and very comfortable. Our seats were spacious and comfy, concourses had plenty of space to move around, and the in-game lighting effects and music were among the best I’ve seen. The Oilers really make it easy to get pumped up for the game and have an enjoyable experience.

The Oilers had another first for me: an in-game pep band. The ten-person or so brass and drum band played before the game, during tv timeouts, and during intermissions on the concourse. As a devoted college sports fan, I really enjoyed the band and it reminded me of the thrills of a college basketball game!

The fans of Edmonton were great as well, and displayed much more energy than their rival counterparts in Calgary. There was a lot if hype before and during the game, up until the game got out of reach in the third period. Even still, people were very friendly and fun to talk to, and the few I spoke with about my journey were genuinely interested.

So what’s wrong with Rogers Place? Honestly, not much. If I’m going to nit pick, maybe the interior is a bit too plain? While there were some murals and decor in the concourses, a lot of walls seemed bare and just plain gray. Not the worst thing ever, but it walks the tightrope between a clean look and a boring look. And the Oilers fans, though passionate, still weren’t as loud as American fans.

Nevertheless, we had high expectations for Rogers Place, and the city of Edmonton and the Oilers fans delivered. It’s an exceptional place to watch a game, and I can only imagine how bananas it must be during the playoffs. It’s a long trip from the States, but well worth the journey!

Building: 5 / 5

Atmosphere: 4 / 5

Neighborhood: 3.5 / 5

Overall: 4 / 5