There are moments in life when you see or hear important news and you remember where you were. People still talk about the moment they heard John F. Kennedy was assassinated, when Princess Diana died or where they were when Joe Carter hit his famous three-run, walk-off home run to win the World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays. For long-suffering fans of the Edmonton Oilers, many will remember where they were on April 18, 2015. That was the day NHL Deputy Commissioner, Bill Daly, flipped open the gold Oilers Draft Lottery card and said, “And we have a winner. The first overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft belongs to the Edmonton Oilers.”
I’ll never forget where I was the moment I found out. I was in line at the Sherwood Park Galaxy Theatre with my son Brandyn and my daughter Hannah, and I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face. It felt like the Oilers had just won the Stanley Cup right then and there. I couldn’t believe it. I can’t remember what movie we saw that day, maybe it was Paul Blart Mall Cop 2, but I can still point to the spot where I was standing inside the theatre when I realized Connor McDavid was coming to Edmonton.
I was reminded of that moment before Game 5 of the Oilers/Dallas Stars Western Conference Final game by a die-hard Calgary Flames fan, who mentioned how sick to his stomach he felt the moment he heard the Oilers won the McDavid lottery. The depth of his agony was a stark contrast to the height of my joy.
That Moment Has the Oilers Within a Win of the Stanley Cup Final
Being reminded of the McDavid Draft Lottery in 2015 made me think of the run the Oilers are currently on in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. They are now within one game of the Stanley Cup Final thanks to their 3-1 victory over the Stars in Game 5 – one of the best games they’ve played in decades. Back in 2015, they moved up the draft standings from the number three position on the board to number one. Kind of poetic that they had to come from behind to win the rights to draft McDavid first overall. There are some similarities to how the 2023-24 NHL season has gone for the Oilers. The team that was built around McDavid as their cornerstone was left for lost back in November when they were languishing in a last-place tie in the NHL basement with the San Jose Sharks. Their record at the time was 2-9-1 and fans, media, and almost everyone and their dog had given up any hope on the 2023-24 season.
After the coaching change from the very capable Jay Woodcroft to the incredible Kris Knoblauch and the demotion of goalie Jack Campbell to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL), things started slowly turning around. It was like winter snow melting high up in the mountains in the springtime and slowly gaining momentum, trickling from small streams and using gravity to forge a raging river. That’s exactly how the Oilers season has gone. Slowly winning a few games, getting on a couple of mid-season winning streaks, finishing second in the Pacific Division, disposing of the Los Angeles Kings in five games in their first round playoff series, then coming back to beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games in the second round, and now within one win of the Stanley Cup Final in their Western Conference Final series against the Stars. Are the Oilers a team of destiny? Could very well be.
2024 Playoffs Have a Different Yet Familiar Feel For Many Oilers Fans
For a new generation of Oilers fans who don’t remember the 2006 Oilers team that went all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Carolina Hurricanes, welcome to the rollercoaster. Many older fans might remember the 1980s Stanley Cup championships and the 1990 Stanley Cup run. There’s a special feeling in the air that’s hard to describe during moments like these. It’s the new memories of winning that are being made. It’s adding to the folklore of Oilers memories and moments that other fan bases complain about so much. Especially when you compare Stanley Cup championship banners in Western Canada.
Related: Oilers’ 2024 Playoff Run Feeling Like 1990 for Fans
Could the Oilers be on their way to a sixth Stanley Cup? A first Stanley Cup to cement McDavid and Leon Draisaitl’s legacies? One where Evan Bouchard moved up to superstar status? And one where Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg decided they wanted to stay in the NHL for a while? I wouldn’t bet against these Oilers. As they proved back on April 18, 2015, coming from behind to win the McDavid Lottery and throughout the 2023-24 season, just when you count them out, they seemingly come out of nowhere to show you a bit more magic. Could 2024 be the Oilers year? Maybe. It’s part of the drama that makes the Stanley Cup Playoffs so compelling to watch.
