Memories of the Coliseum

[JordanGalhanth]

The Oilers website is currently counting down the 40 Most Memorable Moments at Rexall place (or the Coliseum, as it should be), and it got me to thinking: what are our own personal favourite moments and memories of the Coliseum? Was it a game? Concert? Some other fun event? What will you miss about the Coliseum (if anything )?

For what it's worth, I had the intention of discussing live memories where we were actually there (not "the goal they scored when I was watching from Boston Pizza" or something like that). But if you're desperate, those will suffice.

I'll start to give an idea:

- Going to the Shriners' Circus as a kid.

- My first ever NHL game: Oilers vs. Canadiens on Dec 15, 2005. The Oilers got the first goal of the game from MA Bergeron, but then fell behind 3-1. Goals from Pisani and Torres tied the game, and then Moreau got the GWG with just over a minute to go. Pisani got an ENG to complete the comeback and we won 5-3. I had never cared for hockey up till that point, but I've been a fan since then.

- Oilers vs. Canucks on Nov 20, 2007. A crazy back and forth game where the Oilers went 3/7 on the PP and won in the SO thanks to the combined efforts of Horcoff, Hemsky, and Mathieu Garon.

- Oilers vs. BlueJackets on Jan 20, 2009. Hemsky scores a couple, including a beauty of a snipe with 34.3 seconds to go as the Oilers come back from 3-2 down to win 4-3.

- Oilers vs. Senators on March 4, 2014. Hemsky scores two in his final game as an Oilers; Edmonton wins 3-2.

Things I'll miss:

- The goal horn

- The old-school scoreboard

And that's about it.

Click to read more...

 

[backhandsauce]

I hope they move the goal horn to the new barn.

 

[Replacement*]

So many memories.

My dad worked on the Coliseum as a Foreman when I was a kid. He took me to it a few times before it was open. I remember being fascinated that all the roof beams were horizontal on the ceiling and no vertical columns and supports all over the place like the old Edmonton Gardens.

Went to the first ever WHA game at the Coliseum. Oilers vs Cleveland Crusaders. I have a program from it somewhere.

Then as a teen being able to go to games with friends, which cost as little as 3 bucks from the "Bay Club" (Hudsons Bay promotion for kids) and seeing games regularly for that price and spending our hard earned after at Coliseum Steak House. (Most of us had jobs by the time we were 14 in those days, different times I guess)

Went to a lot of games after the team acquired Wayne Gretzky and including most of the playoff games and the last Avco cup. Oilers blew out the Jets at home in one memorable game but ended up losing the series to a more veteran club that was tough to beat in Winnipeg.

Saw two SC Wins at Coliseum in 85, 87. Also attended the game 4 (big game where the Oilers broke out) in the 84 final. I really feel the Oilers won the cup in that 4th game, they finally broke the Islanders who were never the same in game 5. Mess rush up ice and using D as a screen and beating Smith from just inside the blueline just caused the floodgates to open in game 4. It was a magic moment when you knew the Oilers would be holding the cup the next game.

Was there in the 97, 98 playoffs as well. Fortunate to have picked a lot of the right times to be there for games.

Concert memories (most of my best ones are at Commonwealth or elsewhere.) That said seeing Black Sabbath MOB rules tour has to be up there. Seeing YES record 9012live over 2 nights also a top concert moment.
Saw Rush several times and the usual acts. Seeing Iggy Pop backing the Pretenders also up there. Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young other memories. One hilite for me was seeing Golden Earring, a legendary Dutch band that I loved for years. Was just amazed to ever get a chance to see them on this continent. They were awesome live.
Seeing Ozzy with Mike Bordin, my favorite drummer (Faith No More) was also interesting.
So many other memories.

 

[McGoMcD]

Things I'll miss:

- The goal horn

- The old-school scoreboard

And that's about it.

Curiuos why you even say the old schoold scoreboard, for one it was digital, so not even old school like baseball where some one does it by hand, but it was brutal. Well not sure what you mean, the one on the main board was fine. But the ones that showed out of town scores were seriously a joke. They were like 15 minutes behind. I have no idea how they could even be so bad. I would check my phone to see a out of town score changed and it was seriously 15 mins before it was updated.

What I will miss-

-There was a certain really drab feel that was cool.

I guess basically to say it was sort of a experience because every thing was so bad, you parked 2 km away, the LRT stop make you go down this narrow hall that was always packed after the games. The food was horrible. However it all had a feel to it, I will miss it, but glad to be moving to a real rink.

Honestly as much as people try and make it Fenway park or Wrigley feild, it just isn't. The place is a dump.

 

[Replacement*]

Curiuos why you even say the old schoold scoreboard, for one it was digital, so not even old school like baseball where some one does it by hand, but it was brutal. Well not sure what you mean, the one on the main board was fine. But the ones that showed out of town scores were seriously a joke. They were like 15 minutes behind. I have no idea how they could even be so bad. I would check my phone to see a out of town score changed and it was seriously 15 mins before it was updated.

What I will miss-

-There was a certain really drab feel that was cool.

I guess basically to say it was sort of a experience because every thing was so bad, you parked 2 km away, the LRT stop make you go down this narrow hall that was always packed after the games. The food was horrible. However it all had a feel to it, I will miss it, but glad to be moving to a real rink.

Honestly as much as people try and make it Fenway park or Wrigley feild, it just isn't. The place is a dump.

Really have to say this but all this would be from the perspective of somebody that had never set foot in the Old Edmonton Gardens which truly was a dump in every way. Air conditioning in the Gardens consisted of the wind blowing through the old decaying brick walls. Sprinkler system consisted of the roof leaking anytime it rained or the snow was melting.

The urinals were a long galvanized trough along side an oft painted block wall that was white but usually looked yellow. I wish I was making this up. it was like pissing against a wall, because it was pissing against a wall..

Food consisted of anything you could get out of a vending machine. I don't know they even had hot dogs or hamburgers which would require too much facility and skill..

5000 adults would be out on the concourse chain smoking cigarettes, cigars, rubber tires, and you couldn't even breath as a kid. It was like second hand smoking at the age of 5. The smoke got so bad the public commentator had to tell people to go outside and smoke as the players can't breath or skate out on the ice. (Smoking was allowed in the seats as well) People smoked from beginning to end. people smoked while pissing, eating, talking..

In contrast the Edmonton Coliseum felt like a real rink for a longtime.

 

[McGoMcD]

Really have to say this but all this would be from the perspective of somebody that had never set foot in the Old Edmonton Gardens which truly was a dump in every way. Air conditioning in the Gardens consisted of the wind blowing through the old decaying brick walls. Sprinkler system consisted of the roof leaking anytime it rained or the snow was melting.

The urinals were a long galvanized trough along side an oft painted block wall that was white but usually looked yellow. I wish I was making this up. it was like pissing against a wall, because it was pissing against a wall..

Food consisted of anything you could get out of a vending machine. I don't know they even had hot dogs or hamburgers which would require too much facility and skill..

5000 adults would be out on the concourse chain smoking cigarettes, cigars, rubber tires, and you couldn't even breath as a kid. It was like second hand smoking at the age of 5. The smoke got so bad the public commentator had to tell people to go outside and smoke as the players can't breath or skate out on the ice. (Smoking was allowed in the seats as well) People smoked from beginning to end. people smoked while pissing, eating, talking..

In contrast the Edmonton Coliseum felt like a real rink for a longtime.

Fair enough, I can't say I was ever there. I agree, it is easy to say now it is dump, I am sure when it was first built it felt amazing. With that said it has no characteristics, like Fenway or Wrigley, that will make it timeless. Now it is just a run down building that is technologically out of date. It just offers nothing now.

 

[Replacement*]

Fair enough, I can't say I was ever there. I agree, it is easy to say now it is dump, I am sure when it was first built it felt amazing. With that said it has no characteristics, like Fenway or Wrigley, that will make it timeless. Now it is just a run down building that is technologically out of date. It just offers nothing now.

Yeah, its just all perspective and what its compared to, that's what I was getting at.

I get what you mean as well by Rexall not being historically interesting. Rexall was a cookie cutter design and with Vancouver, Long Island, LA, having similar Arenas at the time. That said those were some of the better arenas in the NHL at that time. But not distinctive.

 

[40oz]

It'll always be Skyreach Centre to me

 

[Furiousz Czerkawski]

3) April 17, 2001: Oilers/Stars, Game 4, 2-1 OT win. "Mike Comrie! The Edmonton kid!"

2) April 20, 1997: Oilers/Stars, Game 3. Almost followed the crowd to the exits, but my dad said we should stay. Minutes later, cue the comeback from down 3-0. Bucky with the dagger in OT.

1) February 16, 2013: Covering my first (and, as it turned out, only) NHL game as a freelancer for the Denver Post. Dream come true.

Plus, all the concerts I went to. Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, etc.

 

[rboomercat90]

Really have to say this but all this would be from the perspective of somebody that had never set foot in the Old Edmonton Gardens which truly was a dump in every way. Air conditioning in the Gardens consisted of the wind blowing through the old decaying brick walls. Sprinkler system consisted of the roof leaking anytime it rained or the snow was melting.

The urinals were a long galvanized trough along side an oft painted block wall that was white but usually looked yellow. I wish I was making this up. it was like pissing against a wall, because it was pissing against a wall..

Food consisted of anything you could get out of a vending machine. I don't know they even had hot dogs or hamburgers which would require too much facility and skill..

5000 adults would be out on the concourse chain smoking cigarettes, cigars, rubber tires, and you couldn't even breath as a kid. It was like second hand smoking at the age of 5. The smoke got so bad the public commentator had to tell people to go outside and smoke as the players can't breath or skate out on the ice. (Smoking was allowed in the seats as well) People smoked from beginning to end. people smoked while pissing, eating, talking..

In contrast the Edmonton Coliseum felt like a real rink for a longtime.

Hillarious to me that you mention smoking in the Edmonton Gardens. That's what I remember from my earliest visits to the coliseum. I remember the haze i could see from my seats in the colonnade in the concourse. So thick you could hardly see the people. It was a different world back then, that's for sure.

My fondest memories were begging my parents for $4 so I could buy a ticket in the expansion seats to watch the Oilers play in the WHA. I went to lots of events. Rodeos, monster truck rally's, concerts and others. My favorite playoff game was probably the game we beat the Kings 13-3 or whatever it was and hearing the Orleans song "still the one" over and over again.

 

[rboomercat90]

Fair enough, I can't say I was ever there. I agree, it is easy to say now it is dump, I am sure when it was first built it felt amazing. With that said it has no characteristics, like Fenway or Wrigley, that will make it timeless. Now it is just a run down building that is technologically out of date. It just offers nothing now.

Rexall today still beats the older buildings like Boston Garden, Buffalo Auditorium and many others when they were finally replaced. Not even close really. All those buildings had a much longer lifespan than Rexall. That's why I wasn't initially in favor of building the new arena now. I realize now it's a different world today and that's why I eventually changed my mind. I hope this building's lifespan is at least as long as Rexall's was.

 

[Stud Muffin]

Was only thee for one game vs the jackets during the shortened season 6-4 win for the oilers jacket even opened the scoring in first 10 seconds and I went dead lol.

http://video.oilers.nhl.com/videocenter/console?hlg=20122013,2,499

 

[s7ark]

Lots of memories. A couple that jumped to the forefront of my brain.

Being there with my dad when Gretz scored his 500th


Bishai fighting from the bench.

 

[McShogun99]

I was never there for any milestone games or moments. My only game attended during the glory years was a 1-1 tie against the North Stars. During the 90's I only attended a 5-1 loss to the Jets. When I moved back to Edmonton I started to attend more games. Biggest game moment for me was Omark's first ever shoot out. This season will be the big moments for me with Mcdavids 1st game and the last game at Rexall.

 

[shoop]

May 30, 1985. Edmonton 8 - Philadelphia 3. The Oilers win game their second Stanley Cup 4 games to 1.

My bro picked me up to try and throw me on the ice. A cop stopped me and pushed me back into the seats.

As strange as this sounds now, it was mayhem in the 80s. If you look at the 1984 cup win there were fans all over the ice. Security was a little looser back then as opposed to these days.

 

[PositiveCashFlow]

only there for two: 1 was the Patrik Stefan gaffe and the other was for when Mick McGeough waived off that one goal

 

[Fourier]

The only two "milestone" games I missed in the 80's were the night Gretz scored 50 in 39 because I was sick and the Steve Smith's own goal which I watched at a bar in Hawaii. One I regret not being there live so much it is hard to express. The other not so much. People are free to decide for themselves which is which. As penance for my unbelievable luck to be there in the 80's I went almost 17 years without seeing the team win live. That was a streak that included 2-5 games per year!!!

As such there really are so many memories that I will carry my whole life. And I will be sad to see the era end. But it is definitely time and I am looking forward to the opportunity to make new memories in the new arena. This time as an old retired goat.

 

[Kerricthebig]

3) April 17, 2001: Oilers/Stars, Game 4, 2-1 OT win. "Mike Comrie! The Edmonton kid!"

2) April 20, 1997: Oilers/Stars, Game 3. Almost followed the crowd to the exits, but my dad said we should stay. Minutes later, cue the comeback from down 3-0. Bucky with the dagger in OT.

1) February 16, 2013: Covering my first (and, as it turned out, only) NHL game as a freelancer for the Denver Post. Dream come true.

Plus, all the concerts I went to. Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jay-Z, etc.

Wasn't that the game that Bucky swung and missed on a huge 2-handed overhead chop at Belfour's head just before the comeback? I went to all the home games in that series.

 

[Oilception]

easily the best time I've ever had at a hockey game (and this was before I was even allowed to drink)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_XhoS5VLmU

^
Ryan Smyth Fastest Hat Trick and 500th NHL point, single handedly carrying the Oilers to the win. Cant believe I was there

 

[PBandJ]

My biggest memory is seeing Metallica in 2008. Still stands as one of the greatest shows I've ever seen live.

Wish Katz would stop pretending with this Memories thing. He can't wait to leave.

 

[sepHF]

When I was a kid I got to play on the ice during the intermission of an Edmonton Oilers / LA Kings game. We were waiting to go on the ice while the players were coming off and the Kings (including Gretzky) walked right past us on their way to the dressing room. I stood in awe.

This was just 6 days before Gretzky was traded to St Louis.

I still have a ticket stub from that day:

dem ticket prices

 

[JordanGalhanth]

When I was a kid I got to play on the ice during the intermission of an Edmonton Oilers / LA Kings game. We were waiting to go on the ice while the players were coming off and the Kings (including Gretzky) walked right past us on their way to the dressing room. I stood in awe.

This was just 6 days before Gretzky was traded to St Louis.

I still have a ticket stub from that day:

dem ticket prices

$9.50?!

Is this back from when we played games in front of less than a thousand people (as I've heard)?

 

[PBandJ]

$9.50?!

Is this back from when we played games in front of less than a thousand people (as I've heard)?

2 years before the near sale to Houston.

Wasn't attendance declining fast in those preceding years?

 

[Replacement*]

I have a 1990 PLAYOFF ticket Oilers vs LA kings in front of me that cost 14.75.

A regular season gallery ticket that same season cost 6bucks. In case anybody moans inflation I was making 27bucks an hour at the time.

Try to get 4 tickets for one hours pay now.

How about this. 97 \oilers vs Stars playoff series tickets 21bucks. I was making 38bucks/hour then for reference.

a playoff ticket now from these Oiler ******** would probably cost me +200bucks.

 

[Stoneman89]

It will always be Northlands Coliseum to me.