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Sneak peek: Jets release artist image of 2016 Heritage Classic

By Angelo Montilla

Mar 7, 2016, 11:00 ESTUpdated:

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Trying to imagine the atmosphere at Investors Group Field for the 2016 Heritage Classic?

The Winnipeg Jets want to help fans out.

The team released an artist’s image of what the stadium may look like when the Jets host the Edmonton Oilers in the outdoor game slated for Oct. 23.

The rendering shows the original Jets logo ingrained into the snow alongside the current-day Winnipeg emblem. If you look high up above, you’ll notice a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II — an homage to the former painting that used to hang in the rafters at the old Winnipeg Arena.

Investors Group Field — the home of the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers — has a capacity of 33,000.

If the artist image isn’t enough to excite you, maybe the names Wayne Gretzky and Dale Hawerchuk will get you riled up.

The NHL greats will captain their respective former teams for the Oct. 22 legends game, which also features ex-Jets Teemu Selanne, Dave Ellett and Bobby Hull among others. On the Oilers side, Paul Coffey, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier have already been confirmed to play.

From the Winnipeg Sun:

“We had some great match-ups and wonderful playoff series,” said Gretzky. “I don’t play in a lot of alumni games. Every now and then you get a special event or a special game and this event is really unique. Hopefully, we can put a few smiles on faces while we’re there. We’re not as good as we used to be, but it will be a lot of fun.”

The Jets will become the 22nd NHL team to take part in an outdoor game, while for the Oilers, it’ll be their first since hosting the inaugural Heritage Classic in 2003.