Giant Oilers numbers continue to pop up around Edmonton during playoffs
First it was a massive 29 in Landsdowne near Whitemud Drive, then a few days later, a huge 97 on the north side of Whitemud near 145 Street. And then suddenly last weekend, a mammoth 41 suddenly appeared atop Fox Drive in Belgravia.
Question is: Who’s spending the time and money to build and erect what the smart money says are numerical homages to a trio of Edmonton Oilers? Which only begs the second two-part question. How many more are in the works and where will they find a home?
So far, what’s assumed to be a long-time Oiler fan has yet to take any online credit for their NHL playoff creations dedicated to Oilers captain and NHL-leading scorer Connor McDavid, fellow top-scoring forward Leon Draisaitl and starting goaltender Mike Smith.
All we know for sure is local hockey fans are having a good to great time locating the giant numbers.
While some fans may pontificate as to which number will come next, if any, one thing we can nail down is the fact the Oilers first-round series vs. Los Angeles Kings will continue for at least another three days and nights, so there’s ample time for continued creations.
Thanks to an impressive 4-0 Game 4 victory Sunday night in California, the Kings have ensured the series will go at least six games. Game 5 goes Tuesday night at Rogers Place before the two teams head south again on Thursday. A possible seventh and deciding game would be played Saturday night in downtown Edmonton.
With a very rare playoff fever starting to build across north and central Alberta — the Oilers have only won a single playoff series since 2006 — the chances of another two-digit orange, or possibly blue, hockey loving project appearing in the so called City of Champions is likely pretty high.
Could it be a Nugent-Hopkins 93 in Highlands, a Darnell Nurse 25 in Terwillegar, an Evander Kane 91 near Rundle Park, or maybe a Zack Kassian 44 along 104 Avenue with the Oilers home proudly in the background?
So many questions and so few answers, which is exactly what makes this time of hockey and construction season so interesting and exciting.
A line on the back of the numbers says they are pieces of "YEG spirit" and are courtesy of a group calling themselves the "Edmonton Society of Spirited Gentlemen."
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