(Edmonton, AB) – Oilers Entertainment Group (OEG) unveiled today the new home of the famed Wayne Gretzky Statue along with the highly anticipated Oilers Hall of Fame, located on the southwest side of Rogers Place.
“As we get set to cheer on our Oilers in their inaugural Opening Night at Rogers Place, we wanted to create a space for our fans to celebrate the players and teams that have made Edmonton and the Oilers a household name in the NHL,” said Kevin Lowe, Vice Chair, OEG. “It was a special moment to have Wayne and his family here to unveil his statue and our Oilers Hall-of-Famers in attendance to help christen the new Oilers Hall of Fame. It brought back some incredible memories that Edmontonians and visitors alike will now get to enjoy.”
Media were led down 104 Ave by OEG Chairman Daryl Katz who explained the inspiration for the new larger-than-life graphics that now line the exterior of Rogers Place. The graphics will be sure to take Edmontonians down memory lane as they walk or drive past iconic images of the Stanley Cup years and the Oilers who made them so historic.
Stopping just outside the Oilers Hall of Fame room, the “Great One” himself was there to help unveil his bronze likeness along with his family and fellow Oilers Hall-of-Famers. The statue was first erected at Northlands Coliseum on August 27, 1989 in honour of Gretzky’s contribution to the Edmonton Oilers and the City of Edmonton. The project was funded by Molson Breweries and gifted to the City of Edmonton. Designed by sculptor John Weaver in conjunction with bronzesmith Don Begg at Studio West in Cochrane, Alberta, the 950 lb. bronze statue stands 9ft., 2 in. and will continue its legacy of being an iconic landmark for Oilers fans outside Rogers Place.
Concluding the afternoon’s events was the unveiling of the Oilers Hall of Fame, the product of a partnership between OEG and the Hockey Hall of Fame (HHOF). On display are loaned artifacts from the HHOF and private collectors as well as others owned by the Oilers franchise. The artifacts on display will be rotated from time to time with the hope that other private collectors will embrace the opportunity to have artifacts in their possession on display in future exhibits. Hockey Hall of Fame Chair Lanny McDonald was in attendance to help celebrate the launch of the new space.
In addition, highlights of the facility also include replica Stanley Cups commemorating each of the team’s five Championship wins; a collection of record-setting pucks from the 1980s; a stall from the original dressing room at Rexall Place; Kevin Lowe’s player replicas of the Cup and Clarence Campbell trophies along with his five Stanley Cup rings; the famous door from the original dressing room that chronicled the team’s Playoff runs; and Gretzky’s rookie jersey.