Rogers Transforms Community Rinks Into Hockey’s Biggest Stage

Dreams took shape on hometown ice rinks all across Canada, and at Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final “home ice” will be under every stride for the Edmonton Oilers.

Ahead of Round 4, Publicis Canada and Rogers, Canada’s Home of Hockey, collected ice from six players’ hometown rinks across Canada, transported it to Edmonton, melted it and combined it at Rogers Place, turning the ice where it all began into the stage where it all leads. When the Zamboni resurfaces the Edmonton rink on Wednesday, the Oilers—and Canadians nationwide—can proudly say “This Is Our Ice.”

“Every player starts on community rinks in hometown arenas that shape the soul of Canadian hockey,” said Vinicius Dalvi, chief creative officer, Publicis Canada. “By bringing that ice to the Stanley Cup Final, we’re not just celebrating the players, we’re honouring the millions who lace up from coast to coast and prove it’s Canada’s game every time they play.”

For players Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, Stuart Skinner, Evander Kane, and Calvin Pickard, home-ice advantage for Round 4 has even more “home” in it than usual: The Rogers Place rink will be resurfaced with ice from McDavid’s hometown rink at the Newmarket Magna Centre in Ontario; Nugent-Hopkins’ hometown rink at the Burnaby Winter Club in B.C.; Nurse’s hometown rink at the Harry Howell Twin-Pad Arena in Hamilton, Ont.; Skinner’s hometown rink at Confederation Arena in Edmonton, Alta.; Kane’s hometown rink at the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver, B.C., and Pickard’s hometown rink, fittingly called The Rink, in Winnipeg, Man.

“Hockey’s biggest stage should reflect where the game truly begins - in hometown hockey rinks across Canada,” said Terrie Tweddle, chief brand and communications officer, Rogers. “This Is Our Ice is about rallying communities across the country to celebrate our collective pride in Canada’s game as the Oilers play to bring home the Stanley Cup.”

Canada’s pride in hockey is at the heart of the new Publicis and Rogers campaign, which began with ‘This Is Our Game’ earlier this year. The campaign struck a patriotic chord with Canadians, rallying the country around the idea that it is time for a Canadian team to bring the Stanley Cup home—because ‘This Is Our Game.’

With the Edmonton Oilers now in the final round, the rallying cry takes on a new meaning strengthened by the hometown arenas that built each player. Greatness starts on hometown ice, and at the Stanley Cup Final, Canadians everywhere can genuinely say that “This Is Our Ice.”