Achi news desk-
An Edmonton radio host created a petition to stop country singer Brett Kissel from performing the anthem at Oilers playoff games – and Kissel signed it.
Virgin Radio’s Jenna Winterburn started the petition because she says the Oilers have lost most of the playoff games in which Kissel has performed the US anthem.
“Simply because our good record when he does it is not so good,” he told CTV News Edmonton on Friday morning.
“It’s a handful, it’s a lot, and as I said, the record isn’t great.”
Winterburn said the petition was a lighthearted joke and a superstitious attempt to help his favorite hockey team win playoffs.
The country singer took the joke wrong. On X, he wrote: “Signed. And no hard feelings taken. It’s my fault Kopitar scored in OT. 100% on me. My fault the Oilers lost in ’06 to Carolina too. I sang the anthem at home in my house back in June 2006.” #KisselCurse”
Oilers fan David Murray told CTV News Edmonton in the Ice District that he is aware of the “curse” but is not sure if he will sign the petition.
“We’ve only won one play-off game after he sang the national anthem,” he said.
Another fan, Lauren Provencal, added, “If the stats are there to prove it, why wouldn’t I be [believe it]?”
CTV News Edmonton reached out to Oilers Entertainment Group to confirm how many times Kissel has performed before games, and whether the Oilers lost each of those playoff games.
With files from Matt Woodman of CTV News Edmonton
