The Fan Experience With Sean Wingrave

1. How long have you been an Oilers fan?

   I can’t actually remember a time when I wasn’t. I am now 40 years old, so I guess 40 years.
   

2. What prompted you to start cheering for the Oilers?

   I started life in Gibbons, Alberta in 1976. Gibbons is just North East of Edmonton and in the early 80’s, as I started kindergarten and elementary school, was just as the dynasty Oilers were coming on the scene. That was all anybody in my world could talk about.

3. What is your first real memory of the Oilers?

   The Oilers first Stanley Cup win over the Islanders. I was still very young but I can remember the excitement throughout our household and in the community.

4. Did you have a favourite player when you first started cheering for them? Who was it, and why did you pick him?

   #16, Pat Hughes. This may seem like an odd choice but in the early 80’s when I lived in Gibbons we used to play, “street hockey,” on a lawn across the street from my house. The lawn didn’t belong to a house. When you first drive into Gibbons from the east and immediately turn right (to go towards the school) the street passes a lawn the the right side where a loop of road surrounds it apart from the main road. The kids from the neighbourhood would gather on that lawn to play hockey and when we picked teams everybody would pick a player who they would be. The usual suspects like Gretzky et al were always picked early (and fought over) so I settled on Pat Hughes as I could always get him. I actually wore #16 my first few seasons in minor hockey as a result.

5. Has it been hard maintaining enthusiasm for the team over the last few years?

   Yes. Especially since the Taylor Hall draft. I don’t think I’m alone in I never thought the team would be so bad for so long that they would actually have a chance at McDavid. However, it will probably be worth it.

6. What’s your favourite memory of seeing the Oilers live?

   I never saw the Oilers live in their 80’s heyday, so it is a three-way tie; Eberle’s goal against Calgary his rookie season; Smytty’s retirement game; Scrivens standing on his head versus San Jose.

7. Do you think the Oilers are on the path to a Stanley Cup, or do they have more work to do to get there?

   They are finally building a team correctly (down the middle, on the back end, and in goal). There is a reason nobody ever coined the phrase, “you build a team from the wings in.” As long as they continue to improve the blue line (whether by acquisition or by development) having a player like McDavid gives the team a real chance at the cup.

8. What transaction (since 2006) would you change if you could? Why?

   Petry for magic beans. Given the constant lack of right handed shots on the blue line this one was always a head scratcher.

9. What’s the best part about being an Oilers fan?

   Who doesn’t love, “talking hockey?” Being a fan gives the community a topic of conversation. As a bonus, for the first time in 10 years it is a positive one.

10. If you had to pick another team to cheer for, what would it be and why?

    The University of Alberta Golden Bears. I am not an a, b, team guy.

OILERS RIG LIVE4MS

Our 4th annual fundraiser for the MS Society of Alberta is set for January 21, 2017 at The Pint Downtown, at 6:30pm

It’s a Battle of Alberta on HNIC, with the Oilers in Calgary. Puck drop is 8:00pm.

We’ll have a great lineup of silent auction items, as well as raffles throughout the night. We’ll even have some limited edition Oilers Rig tshirts for sale ($15).

All proceeds from the fundraiser go to the MS Society of Alberta.

See you there!