2023 Heritage Classic

The 2023 NHL Heritage Classic (branded as the 2023 Tim Hortons NHL Heritage Classic for sponsorship reasons) was an outdoor regular season National Hockey League (NHL) game. The seventh game in the Heritage Classic series took place on October 29, 2023, at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, with the Edmonton Oilers hosting the Calgary Flames. It was the first outdoor game in the Battle of Alberta rivalry.
==Background==
During the "32 Thoughts" segment on the December 10, 2022, broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada, Elliotte Friedman initially reported that the NHL was planning a Heritage Classic game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Calgary Flames during the 2023–24 season, marking the 20th anniversary of the first Heritage Classic between the Montreal Canadiens and the Oilers at Commonwealth Stadium. While the 2003 game was held in November, Friedman stated that the league was aiming for October so the weather would be a little warmer; the 2003 contest had been held in temperatures of close to , with a wind chill of . The league officially announced the game on December 31, 2022.
The 2023 Heritage Classic marked the first outdoor game in the Battle of Alberta rivalry and the third one for each team.
A moment of silence for former Pittsburgh Penguins player Adam Johnson was held prior to the game.
==Game summary==
Scoring summary	Scoring summary	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary	Scoring summary
Period 	Team 	Goal 	Assist(s) 	Time 	Score
1st 	EDM 	Brett Kulak (1) 	Evander Kane (3), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (5) 	04:19 	1–0 EDM
1st 	EDM 	Zach Hyman (3) 	Leon Draisaitl (8) 	09:38 	2–0 EDM
1st 	CGY 	Nazem Kadri (1) (PP) 	MacKenzie Weegar (1), Jonathan Huberdeau (3)	14:55 	2–1 EDM
1st 	EDM 	Evan Bouchard (3) 	Leon Draisaitl (9), Connor McDavid (7) 	16:06 	3–1 EDM
2nd 	CGY 	A.J. Greer (1) (PP) 	MacKenzie Weegar (2), Jacob Markström (1) 	11:28 	3–2 EDM
3rd 	EDM 	Vincent Desharnais (1)	Evander Kane (4), Zach Hyman (6) 	06:16 	4–2 EDM
3rd 	EDM 	Evander Kane (2) (EN) 	Derek Ryan (1) 	19:13 	5–2 EDM
:Number in parentheses represents the player's total in goals or assists to that point of the season
Penalty summary	Penalty summary	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary	Penalty summary	Penalty summary
Period 	Team 	Player 	Penalty 	Time 	PIM
1st 	EDM 	Evander Kane 	Boarding 	06:46 	2:00
1st 	EDM 	Leon Draisaitl 	Broken stick 	07:25 	2:00
1st 	EDM 	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins	Holding 	12:56 	2:00
1st 	EDM 	Darnell Nurse 	Roughing 	13:30 	2:00
1st 	CGY 	Blake Coleman 	Interference 	17:55 	2:00
2nd 	EDM 	Vincent Desharnais 	Interference 	09:28 	2:00
3rd 	CGY 	Dennis Gilbert 	Holding 	07:05 	2:00
3rd 	EDM 	Evander Kane 	Tripping 	12:35 	2:00
Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period
Team 	1 	2 	3 	Total
CGY 	7 	9 	10 	26
EDM 	15 	14 	5 	34
Power play opportunities	Power play opportunities
Team 	Goals/Opportunities
Calgary 	2/6
Edmonton 	0/2
Three star selections	Three star selections	Three star selections	Three star selections
 	Team 	Player 	Statistics
1st 	EDM 	Zach Hyman 	1 goal, 1 assist
2nd 	EDM 	Leon Draisaitl 	2 assists, 2 penalty minutes
3rd 	CGY 	MacKenzie Weegar 	2 assists
==Team rosters==
Calgary Flames 	Calgary Flames 	Calgary Flames 	Calgary Flames
# 	 	Player 	Position
8 	 	Chris Tanev (A) 	D
10 	 	Jonathan Huberdeau (A) 	C
11 	 	Mikael Backlund (C) 	C
15 	 	Dryden Hunt 	LW
16 	 	Nikita Zadorov 	D
17 	 	Yegor Sharangovich 	C
18 	 	A.J. Greer 	LW
20 	 	Blake Coleman 	C
25 	 	Jacob Markstrom 	G
27 	 	Matthew Coronato 	RW
28 	 	Elias Lindholm 	C
29 	 	Dillon Dube 	C
48 	 	Dennis Gilbert 	D
52 	 	Mackenzie Weegar 	D
55 	 	Noah Hanifin 	D
71 	 	Walker Duehr 	RW
80 	 	Dan Vladar 	G
88 	 	Andrew Mangiapane 	LW
91 	 	Nazem Kadri 	C
98 	 	Ilya Solovyov 	D
Head coach: Ryan Huska	Head coach: Ryan Huska	Head coach: Ryan Huska	Head coach: Ryan Huska
Edmonton Oilers 	Edmonton Oilers 	Edmonton Oilers 	Edmonton Oilers
# 	 	Player 	Position
2 	 	Evan Bouchard 	D
5 	 	Cody Ceci 	D
10 	 	Derek Ryan 	C
14 	 	Mattias Ekholm 	D
18 	 	Zach Hyman 	LW
21 	 	Adam Erne 	LW
25 	 	Darnell Nurse 	D
27 	 	Brett Kulak 	D
28 	 	Connor Brown 	RW
29 	 	Leon Draisaitl (A) 	C
36 	 	Jack Campbell 	G
37 	 	Warren Foegele 	LW
55 	 	Dylan Holloway 	LW
71 	 	Ryan McLeod 	C
73 	 	Vincent Desharnais 	D
74 	 	Stuart Skinner 	G
86 	 	Philip Broberg 	D
91 	 	Evander Kane 	LW
93 	 	Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (A) 	C
97 	 	Connor McDavid (C) 	C
Head coach: Jay Woodcroft	Head coach: Jay Woodcroft	Head coach: Jay Woodcroft	Head coach: Jay Woodcroft
: Jack Campbell dressed for the Edmonton Oilers as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game. Dan Vladar dressed for the Calgary Flames as the back-up goalie and did not enter the game.
===Scratches===
*Calgary Flames: Rasmus Andersson, Adam Ruzicka, Jordan Oesterle
*Edmonton Oilers: Mattias Janmark
==Entertainment==
Country singer and Alberta native Brett Kissel sang the Canadian national anthem, which marked his second time performing the anthem at the Heritage Classic, after doing so in 2016 alongside Doc Walker. Canadian indie rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage performed during team introductions (and also served as the house band at the game as well).
Following the anthem, the ceremonial face-off consisted of alumni players who played in the 2003 game at Commonwealth. For the Canadiens: Jose Theodore, Steve Begin, and Stephane Quintal and for the Oilers: Charlie Huddy, Ales Hemsky, and Jarret Stoll.
Rock group and Alberta natives Nickelback performed during the second intermission. The setlist included their version of "Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)" by Elton John and their chart topping songs "How You Remind Me" and "Rockstar".
==Broadcasting==
In Canada, the 2023 Heritage Classic was broadcast on Sportsnet. In the United States, the game was broadcast on TBS in lieu of TNT, due to the latter airing the second game of a women's international soccer friendly series between the United States and Colombia. The game marked TBS' first NHL regular season broadcast. The game was streamed on Sportsnet+ in Canada and on Max in the United States.
== References ==
== External links ==
* 
NHL Heritage Classic, 2023
Category:NHL Heritage Classic
Heritage Classic
Category:Calgary Flames games
Category:Edmonton Oilers games
Category:Ice hockey competitions in Edmonton