Oilers Fans from Saskatchewan and B.C. Celebrate 'Duck Hunting' Playoff Season
Forget the ups and downs of a meh regular season, Oilers fans are believers. On Monday, April 20, 2026, hours before puck drop between the Anaheim Ducks and Edmonton Oilers, thousands of blue-and-orange clad supporters gathered in Edmonton's Ice District plaza for the Tailgate Party.
Massive Crowds and Long Lines
By 6 p.m., the lineup for the event already snaked from 104 Avenue, north up 102 Street, then west on 103 Avenue. Fans traveled from near and far to watch Game 1 of this Western Conference playoff series outdoors, creating an electric atmosphere despite the game being over two hours away.
Among them was R.J. Brar, who made the trip from the Okanagan region of British Columbia to soak up the playoff vibes. "I am feeling really good and hopeful," said Brar. "That's why I am coming out to support on the first day, because I feel like we all need to bring the energy from the first day. And then we're going to go all the way, just see."
Regular Season Doesn't Matter in Playoffs
When asked about the Oilers' inconsistent regular season performance, Brar dismissed concerns. "It's a new season. The regular season doesn't matter when it's playoffs."
River, Piita, and Javen Thunderchild traveled from Thunderchild First Nation in northwest Saskatchewan to join the festivities. River Thunderchild declared it "Duck hunting season" and confidently stated, "We're pouring into the bush right now. Those boys have no chance now. There's absolutely no problem. There's no more Ryan Getzlaf to slap us, no more Corey Perry over there, there's no one there to push us off the bridge."
Bold Predictions and Playoff Optimism
River Thunderchild wasn't done with his bold predictions. He said the Oilers will return to the Stanley Cup Final, where he believes they'll face the Pittsburgh Penguins despite Pittsburgh's rough start against the Philadelphia Flyers. He cited fate as the reason former Oiler Stuart Skinner would face his old teammates in the championship series.
"I think Pittsburgh is going to get there because of Skinner," he said.
Local Perspective on the Matchup
Local bartender Steven Jorgenson offered a more measured perspective while on his way to Rogers Place. While not as optimistic about the Oilers reaching their third consecutive Cup Final, he agreed the Ducks wouldn't pose significant first-round trouble.
"It's the best start we could have asked for," said Jorgenson about facing the Ducks. He pointed to Anaheim's inexperience as their likely downfall. "In the past, the Oilers were always the young guns, but now we're the experienced playoff team playing against the young guns."
The atmosphere in Edmonton reflected a fanbase ready to put regular season inconsistencies behind them and embrace the fresh start of playoff hockey. With supporters traveling from Saskatchewan and British Columbia to join local fans, the Oilers' playoff journey began with enthusiastic optimism and declarations of "Duck hunting season" from confident supporters.
