At the Rink: In NHL's North Division, Calgary Flames Keep Battle of Alberta Alive in Empty Scotiabank Saddledome The Flames and Oilers will face off a total of 10 times this season By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 - 1:49 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
The National Hockey League was the last of the four major American sports to host a non-bubble regular season. As fans gradually make their return to the seats, how is that affecting in-venue productions and digital content? Similar to At the Ballpark, On the Gridiron, and On the Hardwood, At the Rink will look at the operations of NHL organizations to see how their coping with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and adapting back to a sense of normalcy.
A good sports rivalry catches the attention of both fanbases for a few days before dissipating, but a truly great rivalry is filled with passion that passes down from generation to generation. The long-standing NHL feud between the Calgary Flames and the Edmonton Oilers, dubbed The Battle of Alberta , is in the midst of one of its most intriguing periods. At Scotiabank Saddledome, the Flames' production staff is doing what they can to keep the embers burning while fans are away.
We get to play them 10 times this season, which is awesome for hockey fans in both Edmonton and Calgary, says Steve Edgar, manager, game presentation, Calgary Flames. From our perspective, we try to promote our team and hopefully give the guys all they need to go out there and succeed.
MORE AT THE RINK INTERVIEWS:
Tampa Bay Lightning's Stanley Cup Banner Ceremony Serves as Reminder of Normalcy During Unusual Year
Toronto Maple Leafs Follow Production Blueprint From 2020 NHL Bubble at Scotiabank Arena
Nearly 20 Years in Manitoba, Winnipeg Jets' Kyle Balharry Reflects on Productions at Bell MTS Place
Detroit Red Wings Cover Motor City Storylines With Three Digital Shows, Hockeytown Home Ice
During First Two Months on the Road, San Jose Sharks Develop Engaging Content in Different Ways
Carolina Hurricanes Sidestep Water Leak To Welcome Fans Back to PNC Arena
Vegas Golden Knights Offer Fortress At Home, Debut Studio for 2020-21 NHL Season
Nashville Predators Harness the Passion of Smashville' at Bridgestone Arena
Fueling the Fire: Four-Decade-Old Rivalry Adds Unique Chapter to the History Books Scotiabank Saddledome is being filled with fake crowd noise.
One of the league's fiercest rivalries, the Battle of Alberta dates back to the inception of both franchises. After the Edmonton Oilers, formerly of the World Hockey Association, became the NHL's newest team in 1979, they were the lone representative in the Canadian province. One year later, the former Atlanta Flames moved to Alberta and set up the battle of supremacy that pits Calgary, their most populous city, and the capital of Edmonton. Over its 40-year history, there have been moments of bad blood, but the tension ratcheted up a bit last year with a chunk of on-ice fights, including between goaltenders Cam Talbot and Mike Smith.
There's been a lot of physicality between members of each team, says Edgar. Heading into this season, everyone was licking their chops to get to these games.
To match the intensity, the Flames' in-venue crew is at their best when the Oilers come to town. Videoboard features include specialized content before and during the game. Edgar and his staff, including Senior Director, Game Presentation and Events Geordie Macleod, are toeing the line between firing up their own players while steering clear of providing bulletin board material for the opposition.
We don't poke a lot of fun at the opposition since they do have some firepower, adds Edgar. We try to respect them because we don't necessarily want to get on their bad side.
The Rest of the Schedule: A Mixture of New and Old Prompts Entertain Players on the Ice Despite the bitterness that the Flames have with the Oilers, they're also responsible for producing shows against five other Canadian-based teams (Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, and Vancouver Canucks) in the new North Division. For these games at Stampede Park, content is being focused around two important factors: the players wearing the Flames sweater and their history against the opposing team.
Our content is catered directly towards the hockey team, so it's a lot of high-energy music and engaging visuals that help create an atmosphere, says Edgar. Most of these elements rotate game after game, so we develop new material and regurgitate some of the older things. When it comes to opponents, we do a bit to cover the matchup. Whether that's updating a video or showing past highlights, we want to showcase these storylines as much as we can.
In addition to a constant rotation of production elements, the organization has moved forward with their themed nights this year. While not an official holiday, the province celebrates Family Day on the third Monday of every February. The Flames would usually host throngs of families in the stands, but in 2021, the team recognized the day before their matchup with the Canucks on Feb. 15:
Sponsor Integration: Team Partners Get Involved in Digital Activations The Flames are maintaining their game day traditions like their post-goal fireball.
While fans are still watching from home, Edgar and company are bringing the live experience to their living rooms. Working closely with Flames TV, the franchise's video production department, the game presentation side is giving their onsite talent a nice backdrop for gameday programming. The most notable projects being done are Flames TV Live Pre-Game Show presented by Budweiser, the Alberta Ram Dealers Intermission Live after the first and second periods, and the Alberta Ra
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
19/03/2026
How Chris Bolte Builds the Sound of PlayStation Games Chris Bolte '16 is a technical sound designer at Sucker Punch Productions, where he helps create the...
18/03/2026
Newly named chief product officer (CPO), Larissa G rner Meeus will return to Net Insight on May 4.
Larissa G rner Meeus will become CPO of Net Insight on May 4...
18/03/2026
SVG Europe's The Football Summit 2026 explored how the sports broadcasting i...
18/03/2026
The 2026 NAB Show kicks off one month from today and SVG is once again set to cover the show from every angle. SVG's SportsTech@NAB Show Blog is now live - ...
18/03/2026
(L-R) The cast and crew of Dead Lover at The Ray Theater for its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival. (Photo by Robin Marshall/Shutterstock for Sundan...
18/03/2026
Yamaha C7 captured in Nashville
Wiltone Productions have announced the release of Music Row Piano, a deeply sampled Yamaha C7 piano library that's been ...
18/03/2026
Bass-enhancement plug-in upgraded
Along with a steady stream of new releases, Techivation have recently been revisiting some of the older plug-ins in their ...
18/03/2026
Mix-reference plug-in overhauled
iZotope's powerful mix-referencing plug-in has just reached its third major version, and now boasts a new capture proce...
18/03/2026
Latest EZKeys 2 expansion arrives
Toontrack's staggering collection of EZKeys 2 expansions has grown once again, and the latest instalment delivers a on...
18/03/2026
Jess Ho explores the politics of food in new SBS Audio podcast For The Culture
18 March, 2026
Media releases
New SBS Audio podcast For The Culture, hosted ...
18/03/2026
Future-ready broadcasts with ATSC 3.0 and enhanced services from Rohde & Schwarz...
18/03/2026
London Calling - When The Industry Convened to Help Streaming Find its MoJo In this blog, Laura Rognoni reflects on key discussions from the Connected TV World...
18/03/2026
SMPTE Unveils 2026 NAB Show Educational Presentations
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, a...
18/03/2026
Auditel Ad Campaign Shot on Blackmagic PYXIS 12K
Brie Clayton March 18, 2026
0 Comments
LED wall virtual production blends 12K open gate acquisition w...
18/03/2026
Brainstorm transforms productivity and sustainability with Suite 7 at NAB Show 2...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
18/03/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today unveiled its educational presentations for the 2026 NAB Show. This year SMPTE will ...
18/03/2026
Maxon, maker of powerful, approachable software solutions for creators working in 2D and 3D design, motion graphics, visual effects, gaming, and more, today ann...
18/03/2026
Digital Alert Systems
Preview
2026 NAB Show
April 19 - 22
Booth C3452
At the 2026 NAB Show, Digital Alert Systems will showcase Version 6.0 of its DASDEC ...
18/03/2026
Setplex today announced that it will showcase its complete, fully integrated Zapflex platform for the first time at the 2026 NAB Show, introducing powerful new ...
18/03/2026
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT RELATES TO THE DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION THAT QUALIFIED OR MAY HAVE QUALIFIED AS INSIDE INFORMATION WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7(1) OF THE ...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking DP for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Director of Photography for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Gaffer for Low Budget Dramedy Feature Film- I...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Location, Sound for Low Budget Dramedy - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Location/Sound for Low Budget Dramed...
18/03/2026
COW Jobs: Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Film - Chicago
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
Seeking Child Wrangler for Low Budget Dramedy Fe...
18/03/2026
Calrec Redefines Broadcast Workflows at NAB 2026 with its Most Powerful Hardware...
18/03/2026
Oscar Nominated Two People Exchanging Saliva Posted with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton March 17, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio handle...
18/03/2026
Boston Conservatory Presents Celebrated Musical Satire Urinetown Performances for this Center Stage production will take place at Boston Conservatory Theater ...
18/03/2026
Charlie Puth Joins Switched on Pop at Berklee NYC The Berklee alum spoke with host and Berklee NYC professor Charlie Harding for a live taping, answering audi...
18/03/2026
X-Rite Pantone Demonstrates Advanced Color Management Solutions to Support Smart...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
BAFTA winner James McAvoy to star in Sky Original serie...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing announce multi-year agreement for the UK and Ireland
Sky Sports and Zuffa Boxing have announced a new mult...
18/03/2026
Wednesday 18 March 2026
Sky Unveils Poster and Trailer for Original Feature Fil...
At the Rink: In NHL's North Division, Calgary Flames Keep Battle of Alberta Alive in Empty Scotiabank Saddledome The Flames and Oilers will face off a total of 10 times this season By Kristian Hernandez, Associate Editor 
