My Trip To Edmonton

Since about the age of seven, I’ve been an Edmonton Oilers fan. As a kid growing up in Boston, that isn’t exactly an easy thing. Games start around 9:30 pm, which was well past my bed time at that age, and that was only if you could find the game on TV.

Luckily, my dad began getting the NHL Center Ice package during the 2005-06 season, and the resulted in me being able to watch most of the Oiler games in a given season. Then that magical run happened which saw the Oilers come within a single win of a Stanley Cup Championship. It was that season that sealed my fate as an Oilers fan.

See, a lot of people ask me just how the hell I became a fan of this hockey team. It’s a long story, but the short version is this; in November of 2002 the Oilers played a Veteran’s Day afternoon game in Boston and got smacked by a final of 6-1. I was at that game, rooting for the Bruins, but was changed that afternoon.

I noticed a few Oiler fans walking around wearing the old ‘gear’ third jerseys and instantly fell in love with the uniform. I asked for one for Christmas that year and got it. From that point on, I rooted for the Oilers, especially come playoff time when they would battle Dallas on what seemed like a yearly basis.

That love grew and grew until the above mentioned Cup run, when I fell completely in love with the organization. From afar, I became an Oiler fanatic, watching every game from Boston, going on road trips to see them, paying stupid amounts of money for jerseys, you name it. The one thing I hadn’t done? Made the pilgrimage to Edmonton.

Earlier this month, I finally did, and it was well worth the wait. It was a nine hour travel day from Boston which started before the sun rose, took me through Minnesota and finally ended at Edmonton International Airport. I can’t really describe what it was like getting off that plane, knowing I was finally in Edmonton.

It only got better from there. Finally I was able to meet some of the other Oilers Rig writers and film the latest edition of Odd Man Rush, which you can watch here. Lastly, after checking into the hotel, it was time to head to Rogers Place for my first game in Edmonton.

Let me tell you, it was a magical experience. I’ve walked into a lot of buildings in my lifetime to watch sports, but I’ve never felt what I felt walking into Rogers. The atmosphere was electric, there was a buzz in the building, and I was overcome with something I haven’t felt in a long, long time, complete and total awe. I was speechless.

Seeing the Oilers throttle the Bruins 7-4 was simply the cherry on top. The Oilers could have lost that game 10-1 and I’m not sure that it would have changed what I was thinking. I was there, inside the building that I had only seen on TV. To see the Edmonton Oilers up close in their building, frankly it was a moment that I wasn’t sure would ever happen. I keep saying it, but it was magical.

It only got better two nights later when the Oilers blanked the Canucks 2-0 on Hockey Night in Canada. I grew up watching HNIC every Saturday when other kids my age were glued to cartoons or College Football in the fall. For me, it was always Hockey Night. To be in the building for an HNIC game in Edmonton, it honestly felt like a playoff game would in the States. It was that intense and exciting.

I’d like to thank Danika Bonowicz and Ryan Batty for selling me their seats to these games, it was greatly appreciated. Another huge thank you goes to Lowetide, who as I’m sure you all know is a big reason why I decided to start an Oilers blog. Getting the chance to go on air with him and see the TSN1260 studio was a complete thrill for me, it was a highlight of my trip.

Dave and Meg get my thanks too. It was great to meet them after all this time and I couldn’t have asked for better tour guides of Edmonton. The people of Edmonton were sensational too. I love Boston, but let’s just say sometimes us Bostonians can act stupid. In Edmonton, everyone I met was extremely nice and helpful when my father and I need directions anywhere.

I also have to thank Bob Stauffer, who took a few moments after the Oilers/Canucks game to stop and talk. After years of listening to him on the radio, it was really cool to meet him and pick his brain. As good as he is at his job, he was an even better guy.

Heck, on Sunday someone randomly gave us two free seats to the Oil Kings game against Red Deer. I’m not sure who you are sir, but thank you. The seats where awesome and the game even better, thanks to a late miracle comeback by the OK’s.

I tweeted this when I left, but I truly mean it. I came to Edmonton loving the Oilers, but I left loving the city of Edmonton just as much. I’ll be back one day, there is little doubt about that.

Thanks to the Oilers, the city, and every single one of you whom I met during that long weekend. You all teamed up to make it the best sports weekend of my life, and I’ll never forget it.