A familiar Edmonton hockey blog is getting a new name, and the change is part of a wider overhaul across The Nation Network.
Oilers Nation, which has been around since 2007, will no longer carry that title. On Wednesday morning, the site said it will be known as “Daily Faceoff Edmonton” as the network rolls out a major rebrand. The same shift is coming for other Nation Network properties, including Canucks Army in Vancouver, Flames Nation in Calgary, and The Leafs Nation in Toronto.
“We are very excited about this next chapter because of what it unlocks for our business,” said Jay Downton, co-founder and president of The Nation Network, in a release. “By taking this step, we will be able to unlock more content for our fans, provide greater opportunities for our teammates, and ultimately drive the next step for TNN and Daily Faceoff as a hockey platform.”
The rebrand is already showing up on the Oilers Nation social accounts, with the new name and logo now on Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube. According to Zach Laing, the managing editor of Oilers Nation and news director at The Nation Network, the website itself won’t fully switch over to Daily Faceoff Edmonton until January 2027.
The announcement also sparked a reaction from longtime contributor BaggedMilk, who called it “Bittersweet day for our company. I’m excited for what’s to come, but obviously the change is a big one,” and added, “Back when I joined in 2008, none of us expected our dreams to blow up the way they did, and this move will let us continue to grow and build.”
The brand change fits into a larger company structure that has shifted over time. The Nation Network bought Daily Faceoff in 2013, and both brands were later acquired by digital media company Playmaker Capital in 2021.
Downton said the move is meant to create a more mature and unified brand across the different cities in The Nation Network. There may also be another layer to it: over the years, Oilers Nation has appeared to distance itself from the NHL team it covers. Using the trademarked word “Oilers” in the name carried the possibility of friction with the club, and a disclaimer was added to the top of the website in recent years making clear it is not directly affiliated with the Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA.
Similar disclaimers are also posted at the top of Canucks Army, Flames Nation, and The Leafs Nation.
In Other News...
Flames Fans Know Which Saddledome Memory Still Hurts The Most
The Saddledome has seen enough Oilers-Flames drama over the years to fill a rivalry scrapbook on its own. From Edmonton spoiling the buildings grand opening in 1983 to Wayne Gretzkys overtime winner there in 1988, the old rink has been tied to some of the most memorable moments in Battle of Alberta history. Even in more recent years, the arena has produced its share of chaos, including the goalie fight in 2020, while the building itself has gone through four names since it opened.
Now the Saddledome is in its final season, with a new arena set to take over in Calgary after 2026-27. For Flames fans, the farewell probably comes with mixed emotions, because the building has not only been home ice but also home to a long list of painful Edmonton visits. Whatever else gets remembered about the place, Oilers fans know exactly which Saddledome memory still cuts deepest. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Face A Costly Question In Search For Hymans Successor
The search for a future answer on Connor McDavids wing has pushed the Oilers into a familiar kind of trade speculation, where the price tag matters almost as much as the player. Edmonton has been linked to Toronto winger Matthew Knies as a possible long-term successor to Zach Hyman, a fit that makes sense on paper for a team trying to stay in the championship mix while also planning beyond the present.
Any real pursuit, though, figures to be expensive enough to test how aggressive the Oilers want to be. Toronto would not be moving a young power forward without demanding meaningful value back, and Edmonton would have to decide whether parting with key prospects and draft capital is worth filling a need that has become more urgent as Hymans role looms larger in the organizations thinking. [Read more 🡒]