Alberta politicians betting on the Stanley Cup
Harmless fun or shameless stunt? Does it matter?! Go Oilers!
As hockey fans pour into Rogers Place tonight to watch the Edmonton Oilers face the Florida Panthers in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Finals, their focus will be on the rink. Most fans probably won’t be giving much thought about what their local or provincial politicians think about the game (as long as they are cheering for the home team).
Playoff season in Alberta is exciting and it also means that politicians have jumped on the Oilers bandwagon with the long-held tradition of making public bets with politicians from the city or state of the opposing team. Whether you believe it’s a shameless media stunt or just harmless fun, there’s no stopping them.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi agreed to friendly bets with Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, who wore an Oilers jersey and flew the Oilers flag outside of Vancouver City Hall after the Oilers defeated the Canucks, and Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, who had to wear an Oilers jersey in a social media video. Sohi now has an open bet with Sunrise Mayor Mike Ryan for the mayor of the city with the losing team to wear the winning team’s jersey.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith joined the fray by making public bets with the Premiers and Governors of the provinces and states of the teams the Edmonton Oilers are facing in the playoffs. It’s a bit odd, because Smith lives south of Calgary and Edmonton voters shut her United Conservative Party out of the capital city in last year’s election. But hey, it’s a bandwagon. Even former Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi is onboard. So, go Oilers!
Smith won public bets with British Columbia Premier David Eby, who had to wear an Oilers jersey and will make a pro-Oilers statement in the next session of the BC Legislature, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who had to post a video of himself on social media eating an Alberta steak.
Now, with the Oilers facing the Panthers, Smith made a bet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. If the Panthers win, Smith will send some Alberta-made whisky to Florida. If the Oilers win, DeSantis will send Florida rum and a Key Lime Pie to Alberta.
Oilers fans, and Sohi and Smith, are hoping for a comeback on home ice tonight. The Panthers have outplayed the Oilers in the first two games of the series and fans in the former City of Champions are desperate for the taste of Stanley Cup glory.
It’s been 34 years since the Oilers last won the Stanley Cup. For both hockey fans and political watchers alike, that’s an eternity. When Mark Messier raised the Cup over his head in 1990, Brian Mulroney was Prime Minister, Don Getty was Premier, and the Meech Lake Accord were on the verge of failure.
Here’s a quick look at some of the public wagers Alberta politicians have made to support the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames in their bids to win the Stanley Cup:
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