Oilers’ Top 10 Moments at Rogers Place – The Hockey Writers Edmonton Oilers Latest News, Analysis & More

It was on the evening of Oct. 12, 2016, when the Edmonton Oilers officially played their first NHL game at their current home, Rogers Place in downtown Edmonton. The building began a brand-new chapter in the team’s history, as well as brought new hope to fans and players. And in just under a decade of being functional, it has produced some of the most iconic moments in Oilers’ history. Fans have certainly been entertained almost every night they have come to Rogers Place.

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The real question is: Which moments are the best ones? The ones fans will remember forever? Obviously, there are many from the past nine years or so and many more to go, but it’s still fun to look back on what has happened so far in one of the most beautiful arenas in the league. Let’s look at the ten best Edmonton Oilers moments in Rogers Place history, including a couple of honourable mentions to start us off.

Historic Win Streak – A streak that was unfortunately interrupted by a combination of the All-Star Break and a tough Vegas Golden Knights team, was just one win short of tying the NHL record. Nonetheless, the Oilers still won 16 straight games in the 2023-24 season. The streak was capped off with an exciting 4-1 win on home ice in front of an extremely loud crowd in Edmonton. It was a big moment for the team that, although had a bad start to that season, made up for it in the second half in a big way.

Connor Brown’s First Goal as an Oiler – A simple goal that ran up the score in a blowout will live in infamy forever in the hearts of Oilers fans. Connor Brown signed with the team prior to the 2023-24 season, and despite his tireless effort, could not find the back of the net. Finally, in game number 64 of the season, Brown put home a cross-ice pass and absolutely lit up the arena, despite the Oilers being up big at that point in the game. He received a long standing ovation after the goal as well. Now a member of the New Jersey Devils, Brown will always be a special player for Edmonton fans.

10. Mike Smith’s Dramatic Return vs. Flames

Everyone has seen the video. The glass shatters, the crowd roars, and a figure appears from the bowels of Rogers Place. In the midst of a shutout in a playoff game against the Calgary Flames in 2022, Mike Smith exited the game to be looked at in the locker room by trainers. And after a few minutes of backup Mikko Koskinen holding things down, Smith would return to a loud ovation from the home crowd. Although he would lose his shutout in the late stages of the game, he still had an outstanding performance that helped the Oilers eventually win the series and move on to Round 3.

9. Draisaitl’s 2025 Playoff Heroics

Despite another bitter end to this past playoff season for Edmonton, there were still many highlights. And Leon Draisaitl was at the forefront of it all. He recorded four overtime winners in the 2025 Postseason, with two of them coming on home ice. The first one came in a huge Game 4 win in Round 1 against the Los Angeles Kings to tie the series, while the second came in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers. These two goals had the building rocking, especially the second of the two. So even though the team came up short, Draisaitl’s clutch play won’t soon be forgotten.

8. McDavid’s 100th Assist

A milestone that will go down in history on a long list of Connor McDavid achievements. After an already impressive 2023-24 season, he capped it off by becoming just the fourth player in NHL history to record 100 assists in a single season. In a blowout game against the San Jose Sharks, McDavid took a stretch pass and fed Zach Hyman to hit the milestone. The crowd erupted and would remain on their feet and loud for several minutes afterwards to honour their captain. Chants of “MVP” could also be heard throughout the arena. It was truly a special moment.

7. Forcing Game 7 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final

This is a moment I find to be just as exciting as number two on the list, just not as big an accomplishment in the big picture. Down three games to none in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers battled one game at a time to eventually tie the series back up at three. Now of course they did eventually lose in seven, but that’s not what this list is about. The team laid it all on the line in Game 6 for a chance to even things up. They wanted the Florida Panthers to feel the pressure they had felt all series, and that’s exactly what they did. They dominated in front of the home crowd, and despite the ending, the amount of energy in the building that day was second to none. A near-miracle comeback that is still a great accomplishment.

6. First Game in Rogers Place History

What better moment in a building’s history than the inaugural game in it? As mentioned, the Oilers played their first regular season matchup at Rogers Place on Oct. 12, 2016. And in front of a sold-out crowd, they christened their new home well. Along with an extravagant opening ceremony, the team pulled off an exciting 7-4 victory over the rival Calgary Flames. The sold-out crowd could be compared to a playoff atmosphere, and that first night will always live in Oilers and Rogers Place history.

5. 2017 Playoff Clinch

Making the 2017 Postseason was a big moment for the organization. After not making it since the magical run of 2006, clinching a playoff berth at home in a new building in 2017 was a great thing to witness for all fans. Many years of uncertainty led up to the 2016-17 season, but the tide quickly turned. With a full season of McDavid, a solid d-core in front of a primed goaltender in Cam Talbot, and many other fresh additions to complement players like McDavid and Draisaitl, it was finally exciting again to be an Oilers fan. Clinching a playoff spot on home ice against a division rival was a cherry on top for the season, making it one of the greatest moments in this building’s history.

4. Kane Playoff Hat Trick vs Flames

One of the most polarizing players the Oilers have had on their team lately has a moment on this list. Evander Kane had Oil Country gushing over him in the 2022 Playoffs. During the great scoring run he went on, he terrorized the Calgary Flames in Game 3 of their second round series with a hat trick that only took him roughly six minutes to complete. It put the game out of reach and put the Oilers in command of the series. This was also the game that Mike Smith made his dramatic return to the ice. So it would be safe to say the crowd that day was on another level.

3. Klefbom to Tie, Desharnais for the Win

The Oilers making their first playoffs in over ten years was one exciting thing on this list, but creating a buzz during the games is a whole other aspect. And it didn’t take them long in that 2017 Playoff run to have a dramatic finish. Game 5 of their first round series that year saw them trailing 3-2 late in the third period against the San Jose Sharks. But a sweet feed from David Desharnais to Oscar Klefbom resulted in a blistering drive past Sharks goalie Martin Jones to tie the score. Then, in the ensuing overtime, Draisaitl floated a pass out front for Desharnais to stuff home and give the Oilers the 3-2 series lead. Both goals sent the Oilers’ faithful into a frenzy and are goals that will live in playoff infamy in Oil Country.

2. 2024 WCF Victory vs Stars

The biggest team accomplishment to happen on Rogers Place ice happened in the spring of 2024. The Oilers came into Game 6 of the Western Conference Final with a 3-2 series lead, and they had no intentions of playing Game 7. They defeated the Dallas Stars 2-1 on home ice in front of a raucous crowd and hoisted the Clarence Campbell Bowl as the Western Conference Champions. It was very significant as it was something they hadn’t done since 2006, and it was the first of the McDavid era. It also signified the true start to the team’s championship contention window. A great moment of celebration for the city.

1. McDavid’s Goal vs Rangers

While it isn’t a team accomplishment at number one, it is easily the single most impressive play to ever take place on the Rogers Place ice so far. With the Oilers trailing late in the third to the New York Rangers and trying to make a push to tie the game, McDavid took the puck out of the zone, waited for his teammates to get onside, and the rest is history. He sliced and diced through the entire Rangers team and potted the tying goal, setting Rogers Place and the hockey world on fire. It still stands as no doubt one of the greatest goals of all time, and is the best moment to take place on the ice at Rogers Place.

The honourable mentions list could probably be stretched a dozen more spots, and the top 10 itself could be argued, but there’s no debate about the magic that has been made in the short time Edmonton has had their new rink. Here’s to hoping this list grows and changes as the years go by.