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NHL schedule ignores Battle of Alberta in Saddledome’s final season

By Michael Menzies

Jul 17, 2026, 13:00 EDTUpdated: Jul 17, 2026, 15:30 EDT

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A quick run-through of the Edmonton Oilers schedule and you’ll notice the usual at first glance.

The heavy divisional start to the season, a long November road trip through the Eastern Conference, and some long homestands in January and February.

Yup, looks similar…wait a minute.

When do we see the Flames? Oh, that one’s mid-week…oh that’s a Tuesday in March…

Where is the Battle of Alberta? (double-checks the schedule)

Ignored.

This is the Saddledome’s last year, and the Edmonton Oilers aren’t a part of it.

In a big season for our southern rivals, about to say goodbye to their beloved dump, their unique slice of Alberta culture, and their born rivals are ignored.

Why is the Battle of Alberta missing from the Saddledome’s final season?

Look, the Calgary Flames are largely irrelevant to the ebb and flow of the league.

They’ve committed to the rebuild and are hoping that their collection of prospects will pay dividends in the years to come. I’m sure a Flames fan hopes that coincides with the Oilers struggling.

It’s a sibling rivalry after all.

But it is a big season for the Flames, one that brings back memories of when the rivalry was one of the best in sports in the 1980s. On Oct. 15, 1983, Calgary opened its doors to the Saddledome with a Battle of Alberta. Forty-three years later, a full-circle moment was missed.

Instead, the Oilers open with a home-and-home against the Vancouver Canucks. The Flames with a home-and-home with the Seattle Kraken.

Then, to finish, Calgary will play its last game at the Saddledome on April 10 against Vancouver. So no home opener lid-lifter, no goodbye final game.

It gets worse. Throughout the season, there is not one Battle of Alberta on a Saturday night.

Not one.

Perhaps it was part of the new Saturday night strategy, ya know, since there’s no Hockey Night in Canada freely available. What’s the big need for a historic matchup? It’s not like Saturday is any more special a night for hockey than any other, at least according to our telecommunication overlords…

When do the Oilers and Flames play each other in 2026-27?

The Flames come to visit Edmonton on Oct. 28 and April 5, which is Game 82 of their season. The Oilers head to the Saddledome twice in March, on the 3rd and 20th.

Those games are on a Monday, a Tuesday, and two Wednesdays, by the way. Not even a Friday night or a Sunday evening.

The schedule doesn’t even attempt to reel in a casual fan with a game before or after the Christmas break.

What a ghastly miss from the NHL schedule makers.

Either the Flames’ home opener or the season finale seemed like a natural choice to book the Oilers.

Although, to be fair, the Oilers didn’t have the Flames as the final game at Northlands Coliseum (Rexall Place), it was the Canucks – the home opener would’ve worked just as well.

Maybe they wanted a can of corn for these important games for an edge to victory.

Like the Flames were eyeing up their key dates like Forest Whitaker in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, bullrushing poor Lincoln High ball carriers thanks to Spicoli’s deceitful ploy.

If that was the intention of the Powers That Be, they certainly got it, as Seattle and Vancouver are two of the only teams heading into 2026-27 that a hockey fan would feel confident aren’t going to be strong.

In other words, a very winnable game for Calgary in an emotional spot where a win would mean a lot.

There’s some sense to that. Despite the Oilers being brutal in 2015-16, they won that final game. It was a nice send-off after yet another hard season.

But if the Battle has proven anything in recent years, it has brought out the best in the weaker opponent.

Take last season, where Calgary won three of four games against Edmonton, including a three-goal stunner of a comeback on opening night.

They’ve risen to the occasion. Played spoiler. Prompted Leon Draisaitl to call out coaches.

Look, I would never want the complex task of being an NHL schedule maker. Talk about a brutal undertaking.

Yet with an 84-game schedule, not one marquee night or occasion for the Battle of Alberta in 2026-27? C’mon.

It can’t be that hard.

Michael Menzies is an Oilersnation columnist and co-host of PreGaming and Oilersnation After Dark. He’s also been the play-by-play voice of the Bonnyville Pontiacs in the AJHL since 2019. With seven years of news experience as the Editor-at-Large of Lakeland Connect in Bonnyville, Menzies collects vinyl, books, and stomach issues. Follow him on X at Menzies_4.

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