The Edmonton Oilers are rewarding diehard fans for their loyalty – and kicking off their abbreviated season with a wide variety of prizes, giveaways and discounts for their first week playing on Rexall ice.

The promotion was conceived in an effort to thank Oilers fans, who might have been left with a bad taste in their mouths following the NHL lockout.

“We heard from a number of fans, who were exhausted, frustrated by the lockout and where it was going,” Oilers president Patrick Laforge said.

In a press release distributed Monday, the Oilers outlined the dozens of prizes available to fans through a number of contests, prizes up for grabs include:

  • 93 autographed jerseys, for any Oilers player – going back as far as 1979
  • 83 pairs of tickets to Oilers home games
  • 64 pictures, with an Oiler
  • 4 pairs of Gold Season Seats for this season
  • Two trips for a fan, and a guest, on the Oilers Team Charter
  • 14 locker room tours (for groups of 10 people each)
  • 19 $1,000 donations by the team, to the fan’s choice charity
  • 55 percent off food and concessions
  • 40 percent off merchandise

The Oilers said the contests will be staged on in several different platforms, including social media, due to the sheer number of giveaways.

The announcement came more than a week after the Oilers played a game of shinny at Hawrelak Park, and opened their practices to fans – a series of events that were also meant as a gesture of thanks to team supporters.

The team will award most of the prizes during the team’s home games Tuesday and Thursday.

In addition, officials teased yet another promotion – which they said would be revealed Tuesday, when a special delivery arrives at Rexall Place.

With files from Brenna Rose