Brett Kissel curse? Radio host starts petition to stop singer from performing anthem at Oilers playoff games

Oilers fans debate validity of Kissel curse At least one Oilers fan is blaming country singer Brett Kissel for the Oilers losses in the playoffs. Matt Woodman explains.

An Edmonton radio host created a petition to stop country music 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 playoffs games where Kissel has performed the United States anthem.

"Simply because our track record when he does it isn't so good," she told CTV News Edmonton Friday morning.

"It's a handful, it's quite a bit, and like I said, the track record just isn't great."

Winterburn said the petition is a light-hearted joke and a superstitious attempt to help her favourite hockey team win playoff games.

The country music singer took the joke in stride. 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 of 2006. #KisselCurse"

Oilers fan David Murray told CTV News Edmonton at Ice District he's aware of the "curse" but is not sure if he'll sign the petition.

"We've only won one playoff game when he has sung the national anthem," he lamented.

Another fan, Lauren Provencal, added, "If the stats are there to prove it, why wouldn't I [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 did lose each of those playoff games.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Matt Woodman