Additional tickets for 2023 Heritage Classic to go on sale Thursday

Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames fans who want to go to the 2023 Heritage Classic but haven’t bought tickets yet will have another chance on Thursday.

In a press conference Wednesday at Commonwealth Stadium, the NHL said additional tickets would be going on sale Thursday morning.

The first outdoor Battle of Alberta is slated to mark the 20th anniversary of the first Heritage Classic, which was also in Edmonton.

The NHL is looking at making the Heritage Classic bigger and better than ever. The league says musical guests will be announced in the leadup to the game as well.

“This the biggest thing going — that’s what everybody’s gonna be talking about in Edmonton for weeks leading up to the game and then after the game is over. So that’s something that I really appreciate,” said NHL Senior EVP and Chief Content Officer, Steve Mayer.

“They may have lost their luster globally because we’ve done quite a few of them and we’ve now gone to a lot of cities — but man — when you’re in that market where the games happening, it’s incredible … I can’t wait to hear and see the reaction here.”

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As for the weather, fans who do end up going to the game can expect puck drop to go ahead even if it’s really cold.

In 2003, it was -19ºC at puck drop in Commonwealth Stadium when the Oilers hosted the Montreal Canadiens. At the time there was no set temperature the NHL wouldn’t play in. Safety concerns for the players and fans are high, but the NHL says fans could expect to get a little colder than that.

“It was colder in Minnesota a few years back when we did the Winter Classic. So that’s the coldest game on record,” said Mayer. The temperature for that game — -20.9ºC.

“There is a point where we won’t be able to play but that’s part of why we’re playing this game on October 29. We looked at some dates. We wanted to move it as early in the season as we could so that we think we’re going to be safe of having too cold of the day.”

Oilers superstar Connor McDavid on the game

Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid was on hand to speak to the media about the big game on Oct. 29.

“What I remember about the Winnipeg one is you’re on a big delay because the sun there’s like some sun glare and then we waited like a few hours and then we ended up going out there and it was somehow still covered in the sun that somehow is safe and hopefully there’s not that this time,” said McDavid when asked about playing in the Oilers last outdoor game in Winnipeg in 2016.

“The fans get into this, just feels like you’re a kid again. I know that’s cliché, but … playing hockey outdoors is as Canadian as it gets, and to do it here in Edmonton against the Calgary Flames is even better.”

McDavid says he learned a few things about playing outdoors — and on a football field — in the 2016 matchup with Winnipeg.

“I would say what’s kind of the difference is sight lines,” McDavid explained. “Obviously the sight lines are a little bit different, there’s not people right up against the boards.”

“I think I remember Winnipeg — obviously the rink size feels a little bit different just in terms of the sight lines making it feel that way, not that it is actually different in size … so that would kind of be the only adjustment, but we’ll get to practice … we should be pretty comfortable come game time.”

As for playing in front of 60,000 fans, McDavid says the spectacle of the whole thing is what makes it so fun and special.

“Picturing this place full … the Edmonton and Calgary fans go crazy, that’s what us hockey guys get excited about.”