from Marty Klinkenberg of the Globe and Mail,

Rexall Place, the time-worn barn off 118th Avenue will always be thought of as ‘The House That Wayne Gretzky Built.’ The Edmonton Oilers constructed a dynasty with the Great One as their heart and soul and Northlands Coliseum, as it was named until 1995, as their home. The Oilers say farewell to the oldest rink in the NHL with a game on April 6 against the Canucks. They will open next season in Rogers Place, a luxurious $480-million downtown arena that many northern Alberta hockey fans say is long overdue. The 42-year-old bowl that replaced the long-ago-demolished Edmonton Gardens has faded, but the memories and occasions it gave birth to remain mythic and deeply personal for those who were there. It’s time to say goodbye, but it won’t be easy.

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