Something struck me recently as a great example of the passion of Edmonton Oilers fans. In the well-respected podcast 32 Thoughts The Podcast, hosts Elliotte Friedman and Jeff Marek discussed the 2024 Stanley Cup Final (SCF) where Friedman mentioned the Edmonton crowd in Rogers Place for Game 6 of the Western Conference Final. He said, “It was one of the best crowds I’ve ever seen…they were so loud in the final three minutes. I’ve been lucky enough to be in some great crowds…the Birds Nest in Beijing 91,000 people watching Usain Bolt win the 200M…the Olympic gold medal in Vancouver in 2010 for the men, like I’ve been very lucky I’ve been able to be (part) of some incredible crowds. That was as good a crowd as I’ve ever heard (in Edmonton).”
Related: McDavid Says Skinner Is Reason Why Oilers Are in Stanley Cup Final
High praise for Oilers fans and something most of them already know, but it’s great to hear it from someone outside the Edmonton market like Friedman who hasn’t been at Rogers Place a lot over the span of his career. Check out Oilers Twitter and you’ll see a fan base that knows how big this moment is, and what it means after years of being the proverbial red-headed stepchild.
The Oilers, the franchise, the fan base, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and their much-criticized general manager, Ken Holland, are in hockey’s spotlight right now with a legitimate chance of bringing home a sixth Stanley Cup banner to the Alberta Capital.
Some Oilers Fans are Behind Enemy Lines
I’m in Calgary at the moment, and there’s actually nowhere I’d rather be than here for the Oilers’ run to the Stanley Cup Final. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while the Calgary Flames have been enjoying wonderful tee times, the Oilers and their fans have been on a magical journey throughout the spring of 2024. Many people, very nice people in Calgary I might add, seem to turn green like the Hulk when I mention I’m an Oilers fan. Frankly, I don’t blame them. How they feel about the Oilers is how I feel about the Flames, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Winnipeg Jets. It reminds me a lot of lyrics from the song “Throne” by Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) “So you can throw me to the wolves. Tomorrow I will come back Leader of the whole pack. Beat me black and blue. Every wound will shape me. Every scar will build my throne.”
I was lucky enough to see BMTH live in Vegas with my son on April 25 during the Oilers first round series against the Los Angeles Kings. That song kind of summed up how I feel as an Oilers fan. And frankly how I feel the Oilers have handled adversity during the 2023-24 season. Go ahead, give them your best shot, and they’ll come back stronger than before.
Many Hockey Experts Picking the Florida Panthers to Beat the Oilers
I’ve gone back to ESPN.com to see what their hockey experts are predicting for the Oilers as they take on the Panthers in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final. Just like the Western Conference Final predictions where an overwhelmingly large number of experts picked the Stars to beat the Oilers, the majority of hockey experts at ESPN are picking the Panthers to beat the Oilers in the Stanley Cup Final. Mark Messier isn’t though. That guy still carries the torch. He’s predicting the Oilers will win in seven games. And Wayne Gretzky’s heart is still in the right place as he’s rooting for the Oilers, despite almost everyone on TNT’s NHL Hockey panel picking the Panthers to win it.
Related: Matthew Tkachuk, Not Connor McDavid Will Be Star of Stanley Cup Final
Some days it feels like it’s us Oilers fans, from one of smallest markets in the NHL, against the world. And, you know, I don’t think they would have it any other way.
Where Are You Watching the Stanley Cup Final From?
Whether you’re an Oilers fan or cheering for the Panthers, the 2024 Stanley Cup Final should be riveting hockey. If you’re a die-hard fan of a Canadian team and can’t cheer for the Oilers, I respect that. I’d do the exact same thing. If you’re a hockey fan and just want to watch great hockey, there are so many great storylines to follow: from McDavid and Draisaitl possibly cementing their legacies to seeing whether Matthew Tkachuk will turtle whenever Evander Kane skates near him to the goaltending battle between Sergei Bobrovsky and Stuart Skinner. Bobrovsky has been unbelievable in the playoffs so far, and made one of the greatest saves I’ve ever seen earlier on in the postseason in the Panthers’ series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
But don’t count out Skinner. He’s proven to be resilient, and with every setback and wound, he’s building his Throne. Enjoy the Stanley Cup Final everyone. Let us know in the comments section where you’re watching the SCF from and throw in a prediction if you’d like. May the best team (*cough Oilers *cough) win.
