Edmonton Oilers play-by-play announcer Jack Michaels and colour commentator Louie DeBrusk will be at Bonnetts Energy Centre on April 14th for the Grande Prairie Storm’s “Tales from the Oilers” celebrity dinner. Michaels says the opportunity to take part in the dinner came at the perfect time because it is right between the National Hockey League’s regular season and playoffs.
He explains when games are in action, most of the broadcast team’s time is spent around the Edmonton region, due to time constraints.
“It is nice to kind of get out and see some different communities, and kind of embrace the whole “Oil Country” concept, which goes far beyond the city reaches,” Michaels says. “I can’t remember the last time I was in Grande Prairie, so it is just an example of an opportunity to get out – and visit with some new people.”
Michaels says he expects those who come to the dinner will enjoy hearing DeBrusk’s stories of his “enforcer days” in the NHL.
“Those who enjoy some of the old school stories of playing juniors, Louie had that experience, right? He played junior in the Ontario Hockey League, and I think he will be able to connect with people on a wide variety of fronts. Let’s face it, even though it’s not a part of the game anymore, in my experience, a lot of people in the audience will love talking about the fights, with Louie’s reputation as one of the biggest enforcers in the 1990s.”
He adds another reason he is looking forward to the Grande Prairie event is that it is a community that supports the junior hockey team.
“The organization on the back end is still a huge part of [junior hockey], so to be able to support that in some small way, again in a community we would not usually have the resources to visit, is kind of a unique opportunity for us.”
The Grande Prairie Storm’s Celebrity Dinner “Tales from the Oilers” is slated for April 14th. Tickets can be purchased on the Bonnetts Energy Centre website.