The Edmonton Oilers will play the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
Teams representing two beef-producing powerhouses are facing off in the Western Conference Finals in this year’s NHL playoffs, and a bovine bet has been placed.
In Alberta, which processes about 67 per cent of Canada’s beef market, Premier Danielle Smith is putting Alberta beef on the line in the series between the Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars.
On X, the premier challenged Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “eat the world’s best steak, an Alberta rib steak, on video and comment on just how amazing it is,” if the Oilers best the Stars.
If Dallas beats Edmonton, Premier Smith promised she’d do the same with a steak from Texas, a state that carries almost 15 per cent of the U.S. beef herd.
As of May 21, there’s been no indication of Governor Abbott accepting the terms of the bet. Farms.com has contacted the governor’s office for comment.
Oilers fans have been bringing the beef to recent games in these playoffs.
On May 20, during the seventh and deciding game between the Oilers and Canucks, a fan threw a piece of beef onto the ice after the Canucks scored to cut the Oilers lead to 3-2.
“Amid the celebration as Canucks have cut it to 3-2, another large steak has been thrown onto the ice,” hockey reporter Frank Seravalli said on X. “Oilers call timeout to regroup.”
Fans also tossed beef on the ice in Game 6 of the series.
The steak slinging occurred on May 18, late in the third period with the Oilers up 5-1 and on their way to forcing a seventh game.
“ALBERTA BEEF IS THE NEW DETROIT OCTOPUS,” Courtney Theriault, a host on 630 CHED in Edmonton said on X, referring to the Detroit Red Wings tradition of throwing an octopus onto the ice.
As far as the cut goes, an expert gave his opinion.
On X, Corey Meyer, a butcher, and owner of Acme Meat Market in Edmonton, opined that it “looks like a blade/bone-in chuck steak.”