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."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
B.C. theatre to pay $55K to neurodivergent actor in discrimination case
British Columbia's human rights tribunal has awarded a neurodigergent actor, who was diagnosed with sensory and learning disorders, more than $55,000 after finding that a Kelowna theatre company discriminated against him because of his disabilities.
Who's responsible for regulating cannabis stores operating under the sovereignty banner?
It's not quite clear who is supposed to be regulating so-called sovereign cannabis stores or even ensure they're benefiting Indigenous communities.