Good morning, Edmonton

After three days in the league’s northernmost market last month, we’ll spend approximately 21 hours in Oil Country on this trip as the Kings complete the road portion of their 82 games. If there are preferred times to visit Edmonton, they are the games prescribed in this year’s schedule. One game in March, one game in April. In four of the five days we’ve spent here the temperature broke 50 degrees.

Take it from your favorite Los Angeles Kings / weather blog: Edmonton isn’t a bad place to visit. Of course it’s generally very cold in the hockey months, and it’s the lengthiest flight within the Pacific Division, and the airport, which requires customs clearances when traveling back to the United States, is located farther from the hotel than any airport in the Western Conference. But because of the massive University of Alberta, and the smaller Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, it can also be a young city with a college feel in certain neighborhoods. There’s Whyte Avenue, a strip of restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the Old Strathcona neighborhood south of downtown; there’s also the pervasive feeling that this is a Hockey Town. For additional reading on activities within the city, I recommend respected Edmonton tourism blog, The Royal Half.

But this is a quick turnaround, and Edmonton Tourist Bureau-approved activities will have to wait until our next visit. Here’s the view from our downtown hotel. If you recognize the view, it’s because I was in this very same hotel room one month ago.

HIGHLIGHTED LOCAL ARTIST. I am hoping that we do not travel to Edmonton three times next year, because that will eventually put a strain on this segment. “Here’s Highlighted Local Artist, Esa Tikkanen!,” I might say. As for today, I’m proud to present my favorite actor of all time.

It’s a stretch. The late and wonderful Leslie Nielsen didn’t grow up in the area – he was born in Saskatchewan, one province over – but attended college in Edmonton and also lived in Calgary before relocating to the United States. Maybe every time the Kings are in town to play the Oilers I’ll just throw up some Airplane! and The Naked Gun clips. Would anyone really have a problem with that?

How often do you think of that scene when you hear the national anthem performed?

In news unrelated to Enrico Palazzo, the Kings aren’t skating at Rexall Place this morning. They’ll hold meetings at noon in advance of tonight’s game against the Oilers, and I’ll be waiting outside the conference room, blog in tow. Waking up with the Kings should go up at roughly 11:00 a.m. L.A. time, give or take. More to come…