The original Heritage Classic was held Nov. 22, 2003, with a crowd of over 57,000 at Commonwealth StadiumGETTY IMAGES
The Oilers "believe it is time" to bring the Heritage Classic back to where the outdoor event was born in '03, and have "filed notice" with the NHL that they are ready to host it again, according to Terry Jones of the EDMONTON SUN. Oilers CEO & Vice Chair Bob Nicholson said, "If we can get an outdoor game in Edmonton as soon as possible, that would certainly fit." He added, "This time of the year is a pretty good time of year for it to happen in Edmonton to keep it out of the real cold." The original Heritage Classic was held Nov. 22, 2003, before 57,167 fans at Commonwealth Stadium. Jones notes the game was played in 0 degree temperatures with a "wind chill factor" of -20 degrees. Since the original Heritage Classic, there have been 26 NHL outdoor regular-season games "labelled as Heritage Classics in Canada." The inaugural game in Edmonton was "held to celebrate the Oilers' 25th season in the NHL." But Nicholson said that "waiting for a specific anniversary of the original isn't really a consideration" (EDMONTON SUN, 10/29).
