Tina Duncan describes herself as an Edmonton Oilers superfan, and she said the atmosphere at the Oilers home game on May 27 against Dallas was “electric.”
“It was loud. It was amazing … especially when we were up 2–0. It was electric,” she told The Epoch Times.
And although the Oilers ended up losing that game 5–3, Ms. Duncan will not stop cheering for the team.
“I just love the team. I love the logo, the colours, just everything about it. ... I don’t think I could cheer for another team,” she said.
The Oilers are playing the Dallas Stars in the NHL’s Western Conference Final. The winner will go on to the Stanley Cup final.
Ms. Duncan has been a fan virtually her entire life. The 1,600-square-foot basement in her home is devoted to the Oilers, from custom-made Oilers carpeting to posters, pictures, signed jerseys, framed jerseys, and other memorabilia.
“My family and friends think I’m nuts,“ she said. ”I even have like custom licence plates on my cars that have Oiler things, and flags on my cars.”
Like tens of thousands of other Oilers fans, she is rooting for the one Canadian team left in the playoffs.
“At work here, about 30 percent of the people are Oilers fans. I wore my jersey yesterday to work, and everybody stopped me to be like, ‘You going tonight [to the game]?” she said. “Every time the Oilers make the playoffs, it brings the community together.”
There are a lot of Oilers flags on homes and vehicles around the city. In the 1980s, the Oilers took home five Stanley Cups—during the “dynasty” years of stars like Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier—but the team hasn’t won the cup since 1990.
And many are ready.
“The city is just abuzz,” said Edmonton City Councillor Tim Cartmell. “Lots and lots of jerseys, lots of car flags ... the whole city is really excited,” he told The Epoch Times.
He said the excitement is bringing people back into the city’s downtown, which has struggled since COVID.
“Even just the economic activity around the games and around the team has really helped our downtown, no question of that. And it’s nice to have something positive to talk about,” he said.
Those who live near the arena and the Fan Park downtown are seeing the excitement firsthand.
Utility worker Mark Giampa has been an Oilers fan for several decades.
“We go to the Fan Park, we put up flags outside of our balcony—it’s actually overlooking the arena area,” he said. “Go to the game if we can, if we can score some tickets last-minute.”
Like many, he’s hoping this year could be the big one.
“I think they have the players to do it,” Mr. Giampa told The Epoch Times. “They have the star power, and the best players ... there’s a lot [that] hinges on this year.”
Politicians are also getting in on the excitement. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Texas Governor Greg Abbott are each betting a ribeye steak that their respective teams will win.
Oilers fan Warren Sillanpaa is another one doing all he can. The yard of his downtown Edmonton home is decked out in the team colours of orange and blue. Every time the Oilers advance, he adds more stuff.
“So we did the Skinner mural [of Edmonton goalie Stuart Skinner] on the gate, of his mask, when they took out [the Los Angeles Kings],” Mr. Sillanpaa told The Epoch Times. “And when they took out Vancouver, we put up the oil derrick,” he said, referring to a model of an oil derrick that rises above his fence.
The fence is painted with Oiler’s jerseys, and there’s a row of flagpoles with the team flag. He’s planning more if the Oilers advance to the Stanley Cup final.
“I think we’re going to put LEDs up. We have nine or 10 flagpoles out front ... so we’re going to jazz those up and bring a bit of light and life up to them,” said Mr. Sillanpaa, who’s been a fan since the 1980s.
His home and yard have become an attraction.
“People come by with their families and their kids and stuff,” he said. “Some people go by honking and yelling.”
The excitement is showing up in more tangible ways as well. At United Source for Sports in Edmonton, Oilers jersey sales are up—although not dramatically.
“Sales are still good, but really what it’s doing is a lot of those existing fans already had jerseys, it’s bringing their friends and family members jumping on board with all of the watch parties and everything,” store manager Kendt Fredborg told The Epoch Times.
“People are almost looking at it, if they’re not diehard hockey fans, just to have a little bit of a reason to have a get-together and have some fun.”
Another twist is that the city has noticed water usage has jumped during the intermissions of Oilers games; they assume that’s when people are dashing to the washroom.
“It’s stuff like that,” said Mr. Cartmell. “So yeah, it’s a thing, it’s a great big thing. It’s really cool.”
He says if Edmonton makes it to the final, it’ll get bigger.
“I’m not going to say that the city would stop for two weeks, but it would be big. It’s already a big deal, but it would be a really big deal,” he said.
But regardless of what happens, he hopes the city is already reaping some benefits.
“It has helped bring some people back downtown,” he said. “And hopefully some of those people are realizing that there is stuff to do, and it’s not all doom and gloom, and they come back on a non-game night and spend some money in the restaurants and bars and visit museums and that kind of thing.”
Others take a similar view.
“I think it’s going to do great things for the city, not just for hockey, but just for getting people kind of hanging out together again,” said Mr. Fredborg. “I still feel like there’s a stigma after COVID … [it’s] harder for people to kind of get in groups and have a good time.”
And for Ms. Duncan, there is the simple joy of fans cheering on the team in spots like the downtown Fan Park where fans have been gathering by the thousands.
“Obviously, everybody can’t afford to go to a game,” she said. “But when you can get together with thousands of people outside and watch the games, it’s a great environment. Everybody just is happy.”
