Oilers donate Draisaitl hat-trick caps to charity
More than 1,000 items distributed to three organizations around Rogers Place
The blizzard of orange and blue hats that floated to the ice Sunday at Rogers Place made their way to the doors of downtown charities Monday morning. In turn, many ended up on the heads of some of Edmonton’s most in-need Oilers fans.
Leon Draisaitl’s hat-trick performance in the Oilers’ Game 6 win over the Anaheim Ducks sent more than 1,000 hats down to the ice.
The Bissell Centre tweeted afterwards that the city’s homeless population could use the hats. Oilers Entertainment Group responded. After being swept up, the hats were donated to three organizations in the neighbourhood around Rogers Place.
The Hope Mission, the Bissell Centre and Operation Friendship were each surprised Monday morning with large donations of hats.
“They came at the right time for us. The hats will be given out and put to good use,” said Erin Bonilla, Hope Mission’s community engagement manager. She estimates her organization received about 200 caps.
Many of the hats were handed out during one of the Hope Mission’s daily meals, though some will be distributed another time.
“A lot of our guests are Oilers fans,” said Bonilla, who also noted
They came at the right time for us. The hats will be given out and put to good use.
with hot and sunny summer weather approaching, this is the perfect time of year for a large hat donation.
It had been a long time since an Oilers player netted three goals during a playoff game. The last was Bill Guerin in 2000 against the Dallas Stars, but that year the trick wasn’t enough. The Oilers lost that game and the series.
The Oilers face the Ducks in Game 7 on Wednesday in Anaheim.