We’re into the home stretch for the NHL’s hub city bidding process, and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney is making his final push.
Edmonton, along with Vancouver and Toronto, are the Canadian cities still in the running to host NHL playoff games when the league restarts this summer.
“It’s the obvious choice to bring the NHL to Edmonton,” Kenney said on Monday. “We look forward to welcoming the league and players here to Alberta to take in the beautiful province we have to offer.”
Kenney, who for weeks has been campaigning for the NHL to pick Edmonton as one of two hub cities to host playoff games this summer, released a video to help prove his case.
Just one problem, the video doesn’t really showcase Edmonton at all. After the first clip, in which the Edmonton skyline is shown in darkness, the video looks like an ad for the Canadian Rockies.
Itās the obvious choice to bring the @NHL to #Edmonton.
We look forward to welcoming the league and players here to Alberta to take in the beautiful province we have to offer. pic.twitter.com/kp0iN86vCP
— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) June 22, 2020
Jasper, of course, is beautiful, attracting tourists from around the world during normal times. It’s also nearly a four-hour drive away from Edmonton.
Since the beginning, Edmonton has been using the player experience as a selling feature, promising to reserve things like golf courses for the players to play at. Also working to Edmonton’s advantage is their new state-of-the-art arena, with an attached practice rink and the upscale JW Marriott hotel across the street, connected with an overhead walkway.
Here’s a look at some of the other bells and whistles promised for teams should the NHL set up shop in Edmonton, courtesy of TSN’s Ryan Rishaug:
OEG making a big push on the safety, and player experience elements in bid to be Hub city. Details below on what they have put in front of the league and the players. (My reporting in point form.) pic.twitter.com/HzDmp4p7ZH
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) June 22, 2020
While Edmonton is commonly thought to have one of the best rinks, with the best ice, in the league, players haven’t been kind in their assessment of the city. In a 2019 player poll, Edmonton finished third on a list of road cities players dread visiting the most, behind only Winnipeg and Buffalo.
So when a video showcasing Edmonton as an “obvious choice” circulates with barely a mention of the city itself, well, fans noticed:
probably smart that the second clip in this video is a steering wheel. pic.twitter.com/ECGOoogJe5
ā BA (@brian_appleby) June 22, 2020
Hmm this doesnāt look like Edmonton
ā Tristan A. (@tristan_vncvr) June 22, 2020
Edmonton gets selected to be a Hub city.
Players arriving to Edmonton:
“Huh i expected the Rockies to be a little rockier than this” pic.twitter.com/xdm88SGDjhā Scott Bobyak (@Sbobyak) June 22, 2020
I donāt know, man. Have you seen Toronto? pic.twitter.com/Rx0xyOV8LM
ā Gregory Balloch (@GregBalloch) June 22, 2020
Itās the obvious choice to bring the @NHL to #Edmonton.
We look forward to welcoming the league and players here to Alberta to take in the beautiful province we have to offer. https://t.co/kyTU98TMOa pic.twitter.com/5d90DofGuF
ā Vanessa Jang (@vanessajang) June 22, 2020
ā Dwayne the rock im drowning (@pastalastname) June 22, 2020
Theyāre playing in Banff and Jasper?
ā Justin MacKenzie (@JustinMacKenzzz) June 22, 2020
I thought Americans were the only ones who were bad at geography…
ā Errol #BLM āļø (@wookiepie14) June 22, 2020
TEACHER PICK MEEEEE
ā Grant (@thepowderfinger) June 22, 2020
ā Iconic Electric (@iconicec) June 22, 2020
There’s literally ONE shot of Edmonton in this promo. Utter incompetence.
ā Mask-On Miley (@ZomBog) June 22, 2020
Pictures of the Rockies for an advertisement about…Edmonton. pic.twitter.com/Jvm5Tko9fv
ā Kayla (@SeeKaylaKnit) June 22, 2020
Swing….. and a miss.
ā jerdy (@SchrittyMan) June 22, 2020
I think you posted the wrong video, Mr Kenney.
ā Ian š³š» (@fischerville) June 22, 2020