39 and counting: Las Vegas entertainer has seen a game in every NHL arena
The Kats! Bureau at this writing is The Perch at T-Mobile Arena. The Golden Knights are playing the Edmonton Oilers, having clinched a playoff spot as the Utah Hockey Club defeated the Calgary Flames during the third period of this game.
Whenever the Oilers visit I think of Las Vegas comedy hypnotist Marc Savard. The former V Theater headliner is a huge Oilers fan. He grew up in the tiny burg of Grimshaw, Alberta, about five hours northwest of Edmonton.
A “distant cousin” of the former NHL player who shares his name, Savard told me eight years ago he was working toward his bucket-list goal to see the Oilers play in every NHL arena.
It took nearly 40 years, but Savard has achieved the feat. He started keeping track on Jan. 11, 1986, at the Oilers’ Northlands Coliseum, when he was age 11. Oilers beat the Calgary Flames, 5-3.
Coincidentally, Savard finished the list Jan. 11, 2024, at age 49, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, a 3-2 victory in overtime.
Savard hit 39 arenas since establishing his goal as an 11-year-old, including both Oilers’ facilities — Northlands and Rogers Place. That’s 32 teams total, including one no longer active, the Atlanta Thrashers.
Savard also saw a half-dozen teams play twice because of new facilities, with the Vancouver Canucks, L.A. Kings, Detroit Red Wings, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes joining the Oilers. The Coyotes ceased operations and the Utah Hockey Club joined the NHL, playing in the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, after Savard finished his mission.
Savard knocked off T-Mobile Arena on Jan. 13, 2018, a 3-2 Oilers OT victory. On Tuesday, Savard was traveling in Antigua, but streamed the Oilers-Golden Knights tilt.
Savard had an art piece designed to commemorate his championship-caliber dedication. Designed with every arena, date and game outcome, the piece lists all of the games he attended, in order from the upper-left corner and running clockwise.
After the last game in Detroit, the entire Oilers team from 2023-24 signed the piece.
Savard still needs to have the work framed. This is an original “immersive art” creation, and a significant piece of his life.
“It’s truly one of a kind, nothing out there like it,” the hockey devotee said. “And it is very personal.”
John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.
Marc Savard's Greatest Arena Experiences The Laws Vegas comedy hypnotist shares his most noteworthy memories after seeing his Edmonton Oilers play in every NHL arena from 1986-2024; Has all the "Feels," Storied Franchise, Electric Fanbase - Bell Center (Montreal Canadiens). Best Post Game Nightlife and Experience - Bridgestone Arena (Nashville Predators) Everyone ours out onto Broadway! Electric Crowd - United Center (Chicago Blackhawks) Really a fun time there! Most Hostile Environment - Wells Fargo Arena (Philadelphia Flyers). Fans are rowdy there and will give visiting fans wearing other team jerseys a hard time. Really fun and fiery! Tons of History and a Special Feeling - Madison Square Garden (New York Rangers) One of my favorite arenas to visit. Worst Arena —0 Washington Capitals. Boring, Quiet Crowd, terrible sound system. Hearing they are getting a new rink, so looking forward to giving them another try. Beautiful Arena - Climate Pledge (Seattle Kraken). Gorgeous Arena. State of the art. Beautiful. Worst Experience That Had Nothing to do with Arena - Nationwide Arena (Columbus Blue jackets). Oilers lost 6-0 and I had to listen to their Cannon shoot 6 times! I was mistakenly sitting in the section below it. Ugh. Kids Favorite Arena — Honda Center (Anaheim Ducks). When we attend there, it usually comes with a day at Disney. So they look at the calendar for when the Oilers visit Anaheim each season and see if it fits in their school schedules. Best Experience in Playoffs — Rogers Place (Edmonton Oilers) Unreal. Best "Show" and Game Experience --T- Mobile Arena (VGK) No question. Favorite Experience — Northlands Coliseum (Edmonton Oilers) on January 11, 1986. It was not about the area itself, it was realizing how bright and vibrant the colors were seeing my first live hockey game that was not on a 1980's cabinet TV set. The ice was white, the lines were red, the jerseys were bright. The players were gigantic. The sounds were loud. The goal horn was loud. We sat in Row 1, glass seats. My favorite player, Mark Messier, plastered Lanny McDonald's huge mustache against the plexiglass with a thunderous body check. It was magical. It was that whole experience that caused me to fall in the love with the game, and had me chasing it around North America for almost 40 years.
