Edmonton Oil Kings reveal jerseys for annual Teddy Bear Toss game
The Edmonton Oil Kings’ Teddy Bear Toss is one of the most anticipated games of the season for the Western Hockey League club.
Last year, the team broke a record collecting nearly 14,000 stuffed toys, which were donated to 630 CHED Santas Anonymous. They’re aiming for another record this season.
This year’s Teddy Bear Toss game takes place Saturday (7 p.m.) at Rogers Place against the Prince Albert Raiders. The team revealed the special edition jerseys they’ll be wearing for the game on Monday.
“I’ve played in five Teddy Bear Toss games and they’ve all definitely been unique experiences,” said Oil Kings captain Colton Kehler. “I’m excited to do my last one.”
The Oil Kings have held the game annually for the past 11 years. Fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed toy to the game, which they can throw on the ice following the Oil Kings’ first goal of the contest.
Centre Nick Bowman scored the goal which set off the cascade of stuffed toys last season.
“I’ve never scored the goal, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Saturday,” Kehler said. “But I don’t think it really matters who scores the goal. Everyone wants to score the first goal of the game anyways. It would definitely be a pretty cool memento to have down the road to have, scoring the Teddy Bear Toss.”
The Oil Kings have teamed up with Santas Anonymous for the better part of a decade. Santa’s Anonymous delivers toys annually to roughly 30,000 children in Edmonton during the Christmas season. The toys will be delivered Dec. 16-17 this year.
“It’s phenomenal to see, no matter how many come down, because they come in all shapes and sizes,” said Lana Nordlund, executive director
of Santas Anonymous. “We gift from newborns up to age 12, and most plush animals are good for ages 3 and up, so we ask people to consider purchasing one that is good for a baby or a one- or twoyear old.”
The Oil Kings are currently on an 11-game losing streak and host the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday before playing the Raiders on Saturday.
With an expected sellout crowd, the Oil Kings are hoping for a victory to go along with scoring the first goal.
“I think we’re trying to go out there and play hard, and we want to win and play well in every game,” said Oil Kings forward Davis Koch. “But when the arena is sold out, you want to come out and put on a good show with the fans.”