Rexall Place Facts for Kids

The Rexall Place was a famous sports arena in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It opened on November 10, 1974. For many years, it was the home of the Edmonton Oilers, a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). It also hosted the Edmonton Oil Kings (a junior hockey team) and the Edmonton Rush (a lacrosse team).

The arena was known by different names over the years. It started as Northlands Coliseum. Later, it was called Edmonton Coliseum and then the Skyreach Centre. Finally, a company called Rexall bought the rights to name the arena, so it became Rexall Place.

Rexall Place hosted many exciting events. In 1978, it was a venue for the Commonwealth Games, a big international sports competition. It also hosted a major wrestling event called WWE's Backlash in 2004.

The 2015–16 season was the last one for the Oilers at Rexall Place. A new, modern arena called Rogers Place was built in downtown Edmonton. It opened for the 2016–17 season, becoming the new home for the Oilers.

A Home for Sports Teams
Different Names Over Time
Big Events Hosted Here
The End of an Era
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A Home for Sports Teams

Rexall Place was a very important place for sports fans in Edmonton. It was mainly known as the home of the Edmonton Oilers. This team plays in the National Hockey League, which is the top professional ice hockey league in North America.

Besides the Oilers, the arena also hosted the Edmonton Oil Kings. They are a junior ice hockey team that plays in the Western Hockey League (WHL). Lacrosse fans also knew Rexall Place as the home of the Edmonton Rush, a team from the National Lacrosse League (NLL).

Different Names Over Time

Over its history, the arena had several different names. When it first opened in 1974, it was called Northlands Coliseum. This name lasted until 1995.

From 1995 to 1998, it was known as the Edmonton Coliseum. Then, from 1998 to 2003, it changed its name again to the Skyreach Centre. Finally, the Rexall company bought the naming rights, and it became Rexall Place until it closed.

Big Events Hosted Here

Beyond regular sports games, Rexall Place was a venue for many other big events. In 1978, it was one of the places where the Commonwealth Games were held. This is a huge multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations.

The arena also hosted concerts by famous musicians and other entertainment shows. In 2004, it was the location for WWE's Backlash, a popular professional wrestling pay-per-view event.

The End of an Era

After many years of exciting games and events, the 2015–16 season marked the final year for the Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place. The city decided to build a new, more modern arena in downtown Edmonton.

Construction for the new arena, named Rogers Place, began in 2014. It was designed to be a state-of-the-art facility for sports and entertainment. Rogers Place officially opened for the 2016–17 season, taking over as the Oilers' new home.