The 2018-19 NHL season is the 40th anniversary for Edmonton Oilers hockey and the team is ready to celebrate. It all kicks off with a special fan day on Sept. 15. Hockey fans will be able to attend the free event to watch a scrimmage, test their hockey skills in the Hockey Zone, meet mascot Hunter in the Kids Zone and check out various Oilers artifacts that will be on display. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and the scrimmage will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. WATCH BELOW: The Edmonton Oilers are celebrating a big win off the ice this season. Margeaux Maron explains. 0:54 Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation celebrates record-setting year off Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation celebrates record-setting year off – Jun 27, 2018 Hall of Fame members Grant Fuhr and Glenn Anderson will be making an appearance during a mini locker room sale to meet fans and sign autographs. The sale will also feature Oilers new and game-used equipment and game-worn jerseys from various Oilers over the years. Story continues below advertisement “Oilers fans are passionate and have a truly unique relationship with the franchise,” Oilers Entertainment Group CEO & vice-chair Bob Nicholson said. “The Oilers have existed for 40 years because of the fans, and this milestone is as much a celebration of them as it is of the team.” Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "The Oilers have existed for 40 years because of the fans, and this milestone is as much a celebration of them as it is of the team." As part of the anniversary, the team unveiled a special “retro” jersey that will be worn four times through the season against former Smythe division opponents. According to the team, it will allow them to commemorate “classic franchise rivalries.” The #Oilers retro jersey will be worn November 29 vs. Los Angeles, December 9 vs. Calgary, December 31 vs. Winnipeg & March 7 vs. Vancouver. pic.twitter.com/OnGcy3KVOf — Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) September 4, 2018 Reaction to the jersey was mixed online, with many fans pointing out that the retro jersey looks very similar to the blue jerseys the Oilers wore until the orange ones were unveiled in 2016. What a fresh new idea! Never seen a jersey like this before! — Ha! He's a Ginger! (@Rowlando04) September 4, 2018 Should be the normal jersey worn every game. One of the most perfect looks of all time. Ditch the new look. — Jason Fabok (@JasonFabok) September 4, 2018 I must be the only Oilers fan that likes the Orange jerseys. Glad we are still using them but i am also happy that the blues are being used also. — Samurai Donkey (@G_Mack56) September 4, 2018 Best jersey ever! — Amber (@2sweets) September 4, 2018 Finally back to the real oiler colours. Should have never left guys bring em back full time — Johnny Mack (@Gmack_) September 4, 2018 The Copper Blue jerseys are back!!!!! — MMU SportsGodz (Ashton Nickerson-Babin) (@MMUSportGodz_OT) September 4, 2018 The Edmonton Oilers get the 2018-19 action underway with their first pre-season game against the Calgary Flames on Sept. 17. The regular season starts Oct. 6 when the Oilers head to Gothenburg, Sweden to face the New Jersey Devils in the 2018 NHL Global Series. Advertisement<doc-sep>Article content Has it really been 40 NHL seasons since Kevin Lowe scored the first NHL goal for the Edmonton Oilers and an 18-year-old Wayne Gretzky took a face-off against Stan Mikita at the Chicago Stadium? Yup. To celebrate their 40th NHL anniversary, The Oilers will wear a special retro jersey four times this 2018-2019 NHL season against their former Smythe Division foes Los Angeles Kings (Nov. 29), Calgary Flames (Dec. 9), Winnipeg Jets on New Year’s Eve and Vancouver Canucks (March 7) in home games at Rogers Place. They’ll have an anniversary logo saluting their five Stanley Cup wins in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1990 and their six Hall of Fame players — Gretzky, Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and Glenn Anderson — on their jerseys all season long. Edmonton Oilers Maybe it’s just an oversight but they are not having Al Hamilton’s No. 3 on the patch even though his number is retired along with those six guys and is hanging from the rafters.<doc-sep>
Edmonton Oilers fans looking forward to a new season will also get the chance to look back this year, as the team rolls out a 40th-anniversary jersey. On Tuesday, the team announced players will wear "retro" jerseys four times during the 2018-19 season, in home games against former Smythe Division opponents the Los Angeles Kings, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets and Vancouver Canucks. On Twitter, fans seemed to like the new jerseys, with some calling for them to become regular attire. Dear Oilers, please re-instate these beauties as the full-time home uniforms. The orange jerseys are an abomination for several reasons, including: they hurt my eyes. —@OrbitStudios Four times? The oranges are awful. Wear this full time. —@EdmontonRaider What a fresh new idea! Never seen a jersey like this before! —@Rowlando04 All season, game-worn jerseys will feature an anniversary patch celebrating the team's five Stanley Cup wins. The patch will also sport the retired numbers of six Hall of Fame former players - Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri, Glenn Anderson and Grant Fuhr. The Oilers will host a free "Fan Day" at Rogers Place on Sept. 15. An open team scrimmage will start at 10:30 a.m., along with family activities and events. Game-worn Oilers jerseys from different eras will be on display. Fuhr and Anderson are expected to be there to meet fans and sign autographs. The Edmonton Oilers will wear a 40th anniversary patch on all jerseys worn in the 2018-19 season. (Edmonton Oilers) "Oilers fans are passionate and have a truly unique relationship with the franchise," Oilers Entertainment Group CEO Bob Nicholson said in a news release. "The Oilers have existed for 40 years because of the fans, and this milestone is as much a celebration of them as it is of the team." The Oilers will be announcing more events celebrating the team's 40th season throughout the year. The team will open the preseason on Sept. 20 against the Winnipeg Jets. The Oilers will kick off the regular season on Oct. 6 against the New Jersey Devils in Gothenburg, Sweden, as part of the NHL's Global Series. @Travismcewancbc