Rexall Place
is an indoor arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada situated on the north side of Northlands Park. It is home to the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL, the Edmonton Rush of the NLL and the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL.
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REXALL PLACE TICKETS
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History
When the arena opened on
November 10,
1974, it was known as
Northlands Coliseum
to house the
World Hockey Association Oilers. Then it became the
Edmonton Coliseum
in
1994, and
Skyreach Centre
in
1998, before it changed to its current name during the middle of the
2003–04 NHL season when its
naming rights were purchased by the
Rexall medicine company, a subsidiary of
Katz Group Canada.
The arena was used to host games in the 1981 and 1984 Canada Cup hockey tournaments, including Game 2 of the 1984 finals between Canada and Sweden. In the 1995 World Junior Championships, which where held in various cities and towns throughout Alberta, Edmonton Coliseum was the site of several games, including Canada's 6–3 victory over Finland on New Year's Day.
The venue was the site of several
Commonwealth Games sports in
1978, and part of
Universiade (the World University Games) in 1983. It also hosted the 2004
WWE Backlash. Annual events include the
Canadian Finals Rodeo and the Christian Conference,
YC Alberta .
Before the 2007/08 season started, the Oilers dressing room was renovated for $4 million. The state-of-art room is now wider with a new medical room, lounge, bar, video room, weight room as well as other new facilities. Just after the entrance to the dressing room is a cubicle with 5 replica Stanley Cups in it that has all the names of the past Oilers who won cups with the team.
Seating capacity
The official capacity for hockey is currently 16,839, which is slightly less than the 17,100 the arena held before the 2001–02 NHL season. Some media sources still quote the old capacity even though the Oilers have never announced an attendance above 16,839 since the most recent changes. When it opened, the capacity was slightly more than 15,200, but it was increased to 17,353 after the Oilers joined the NHL by adding an extra tier of seating on the side opposite the pressbox. This was increased to 17,503 in 1984. The arena underwent an extensive renovation in 1994 and has 67 luxury suites.
Trivia
- Noise levels during playoff games have reached 114 dB..
- A large bronze statue of Canadian hockey icon and former Oilers Captain Wayne Gretzky is situated outside of Rexall Place.
- At the beginning of Game 3 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim/Edmonton series of the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Oilers' anthem singer Paul Lorieau sang only a few lines of "O Canada" before letting the audience sing out the rest of the anthem. This was done at all subsequent home games in the playoffs as well as at the home openers.
- During the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Oilers fans took to throwing a piece of Grade A Alberta Beef onto the ice. It was started during the 2006 Detroit Red Wings/Edmonton series as an answer to the Red Wings' tradition of throwing octopuses onto the ice.
- The 2008 CHL Top Prospects Game was held at Rexall place in front of 13,597 fans.
- The 2008 National Lacrosse League All Star Game was held at Rexall Place on March 16, 2008
Live recordings
The following bands recorded live performances in the arena:
- Yes filmed their 1984 concert film 9012Live
at the arena.
- Nickelback filmed their 2002 concert video Live at Home
at the arena.
- Our Lady Peace recorded part of their 2003 record Live
at the arena.
- Michael W. Smith recorded his live "Worship" DVD at YC Alberta.
- Corb Lund recorded his 2007 concert on video during the course of the Horse Soldier! Horse Soldier! tour.