Oilers to honor Kevin Lowe and Joey Moss this season

The Edmonton Oilers announced a number of special events for the 2021-22 NHL season earlier today with the two obvious highlights being a tribute to the life of longtime Oilers dressing room attendant Joey Moss and the retirement of franchise icon Kevin Lowe's jersey #4.

From the Oilers' official announcement:

Joey Moss Dressing Room Tribute: In recognition of contributions to the Oilers dating back to 1984 and the indelible mark left on the organization and community by the late Joey Moss, a unique dressing room tribute will be unveiled by current Oilers players and staff ahead of the team's first home pre-season game on Tuesday, Sept. 28.   

Kevin Lowe Banner Raising: To acknowledge his incredible accomplishments on and off the ice and his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2020, the Oilers will proudly raise Kevin Lowe's number 4 to the rafters of Rogers Place on Friday, Nov. 5 with the New York Rangers in town.

These celebrations were reportedly planned for the 2020-21 season, but due to audience restrictions in Alberta the Oilers made the difficult decision to push things until this season. And I've got to say... kudos, Oilers.

The fact of the matter is that a Joey Moss Tribute night is going to be absolutely EPIC. He's a beloved figure in the city of Edmonton and his passing really, really affected Oilers fans young and old. Joey is one of those guys who never seemed to have a bad day in his life. His beaming smile and his infectious love for life was apparent to anyone who ever met him. Suffice it to say that Joey is sorely missed in Edmonton and his celebration will be an absolute PARTY!

As for Kevin Lowe, what else can you say? The man has bled blue and orange since the moment he was drafted by the team in 1979. He played over over a decade with the team and was one of the best defensive defensemen of his entire generation. His track record with the team in a management role is obviously a bit spotty, but again there's no denying the fact that he's a franchise icon through and through.