Edmonton Oilers mix hometown ice into Rogers Place rink for Stanley Cup Final

The Edmonton Oilers aren’t just skating for a championship, they’re skating on a piece of home. In a move that’s melting Canadian hearts, the Oilers have resurfaced their Stanley Cup Final ice using water from their players’ hometown rinks.

Yep, literal shavings from across the country are now part of the Rogers Place surface. It’s part of a “This Is Our Ice” campaign that’s more than just cool PR, it’s a full-blown emotional tribute to the roots that made these guys stars.

Oilers honor their roots by bringing hometown rink ice to Stanley Cup Final

In one of the most sentimental moves in NHL playoff history, the Edmonton Oilers brought in ice collected from six different hometown rinks, each one tied to a core player on the team. Whether it’s Connor McDavid’s Newmarket roots or Stuart Skinner’s local Edmonton pad, each chunk of frozen water represents the grind, growth, and beginnings of the players now chasing the Cup.

The water was scraped up, sealed in thermoses, and delivered to Rogers Place, where it was poured onto the main rink to be integrated into the surface for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Here’s where each player's ice came from across Canada

From coast to coast, Canada is literally embedded in the ice beneath their skates.The initiative, led by Rogers Communications, is about turning hockey’s biggest moment into a national celebration. “Hockey’s biggest stage should reflect where the game truly begins – in hometown rinks,” said Terrie Tweddle, Rogers’ brand chief. It’s a nod to the minor hockey leagues, the parents up at 5 a.m., and the frozen roots that built Canada’s best.For a team chasing history, this symbolic tribute might be the exact fuel the Oilers need. With the hopes of Canada literally frozen beneath their blades, the 2025 Stanley Cup Final just got a whole lot more personal.Also read - Toronto’s CN Tower goes orange and blue for Edmonton Oilers, Canada’s last hope at the Cup