By StephanieLee Elliott
NHL Public Relations
October 27, 2023
EDMONTON (Oct. 27, 2023) – A look at the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic™ “By the Numbers.”
1 – The spot The Beaches’ lead single, “Blame Brett,” held on SiriusXM Al Nation’s “Alt 18 Countdown.” The Canadian rock band will be the featured performer at the SiriusXM Canada Pregame Concert on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m. MT, at Clarke Stadium, outside Gate 2 of Commonwealth Stadium. The concert will be free and open to the public.
3 – The 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will be the third regular-season outdoor game for both the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers. Calgary defeated the Montreal Canadiens in the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic by a score of 4-0. The Flames were defeated 2-1 by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2019 NHL Heritage Classic. In the inaugural NHL Heritage Classicon Nov. 22, 2003, the Oilers lost 4-3 to the Montreal Canadiens and in the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic, Edmonton defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-0.
4 – There are four players on the Oilers roster that skated at the 2016 NHL Heritage Classic: Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. McDavid (0-1—1), Nurse (1-0—1) and Nugent-Hopkins (0-1—1) each got on the score sheet in 2016.
4 – Number of venues to host multiple NHL regular-season outdoor games (Yankee Stadium, Heinz Field, Edgewood Tahoe Resort & Fenway Park), with Commonwealth Stadium and MetLife Stadium set to join the list in 2023-24.
6 – Hours the WestJet NHL Fan Park will be open on Friday (3 p.m. – 9 p.m. MST) and Saturday (12 p.m. – 6 p.m. MST). The free two-day outdoor fan festival, located in the Edmonton ICE District Fan Park, will serve as a preview of the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
7 – The Flames-Oilers outdoor matchup will mark the seventh NHL Heritage Classic, which includes the inaugural game in Edmonton (2003), as well as games in Calgary (2011), Vancouver (2014), Winnipeg (2016), Regina (2019) and Hamilton (2022). This year’s NHL Heritage Classic also marks the sixth year that Tim Hortons has been the title sponsor of the event.
8 – Number of consecutive seasons (1983-1990) in which either the Oilers or Flames appeared in the Stanley Cup Final, with Edmonton winning the championship in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990 while the Flames claimed the franchise’s only Stanley Cup in 1989.
9 – Number of NHL regular-season outdoor games that have been played in Canada (including the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic). The others: 2003 Heritage Classic, 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, 2014 NHL Heritage Classic, 2016 NHL Heritage Classic, 2017 NHL Centennial Classic, 2017 NHL100 Classic, 2019 NHL Heritage Classic and 2022 NHL Heritage Classic.
11 – Number worn by Calgary Flames Captain Mikael Backlund, who is the only current Flames player to have represented the team in each of its outdoor games (2 GP). The only other current Calgary player with more than one NHL regular-season outdoor game is Nazem Kadri (1-0—1 in 4 GP: 2014 NHL Winter Classic, 2017 NHL Centennial Classic, 2018 NHL Stadium Series, 2021 NHL Outdoors at Lake Tahoe).
14 – A total of 14 Hockey Hall of Fame members skated for the Oilers and Flames in the 1980s, speaking to the dominance of the two franchises during the decade.
16 – The number of Top-10 radio hits country music star Brett Kissel has had since he began his career more than 10 years ago. Kissel will perform the Canadian national anthem before the puck drops in the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
20 – The 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of hosting the first-ever NHL regular-season outdoor game: the 2003 Heritage Classic, a 4-3 win for the Montreal Canadiens over the Oilers in front of 57,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003.
28 – Number worn by Flames forward Elias Lindholm, who is tied for the team lead in scoring with 6 points (2-4—6) through games played on October 26.
29 – Number worn by Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl, who currently leads the team in goals (4) and points (11) and sits tied for fifth in League scoring through games played on October 26.
38 – The 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic will mark the 38th NHL regular-season outdoor game contested. Of the previous 37 games that have been played, 22 of those have been hosted within football stadiums, 12 have been played inside baseball stadiums, two played atop a golf course, and one inside a soccer stadium.
53 – Players to skate in at least one regular-season or playoff game for both sides in the Battle of Alberta, including current Oilers Brett Kulak (101 GP w/ CGY, 2014-15 to 2017-18) and Derek Ryan (207 GP w/ CGY, 2018-19 to 2020-21), as well as Flames defenseman Jordan Oesterle (25 GP w/ EDM, 2014-15 to 2016-17).
53 – Length, in feet, of the world’s largest mobile rink refrigeration unit, specially built for outdoor
games conducted by the NHL.
88 – Number worn by Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane, who is tied for the team lead in scoring with 6 points (3-3—6) through games played on October 26.
243 – Number of ice pans under the rink at Commonwealth Stadium, each measuring 30” x 340” in size.
263 – The Flames and Oilers organizations have faced off in 263 regular-season games since the 1979-80 season (including Oilers games vs. Atlanta Flames), with the Flames holding a 33-point edge over the Oilers in the “Battle of Alberta” (CGY/AFM: 131-107-25—287; EDM: 113-122-28—254). The Oilers have won five of the six Stanley Cup Playoffs series between the two clubs, including most recently in the 2022 Second Round.
300 – The approximate distance, in kilometers, between Edmonton and Calgary.
300 – Ton capacity of the refrigeration trailer that will keep the ice cool at Commonwealth Stadium.
350 – Gallons of paint used to make the ice at Commonwealth Stadium white.
977 – Number of players and coaches who have participated in the NHL’s 37 regular-season outdoor games to date (839 skaters, 95 goaltenders, 43 head coaches).
2023 – The year Diamond-certified group Nickelback was named to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. Named the “most successful rock band of the decade” by Billboard in 2009, the band will perform during the second intermission of the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic.
1,851,642 – Total attendance of NHL regular-season outdoor games entering the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic (an average of 52,904 per game when fans could attend; 35 of 37 games played).
COURTESY NHLmedia.com
