Fred Pedersen, wearing his Edmonton Oilers jersey, holds his son James, who is wearing an Oilers shirt himself. Pedersen is one of many Oilers fans in Cambridge Bay cheering on their team in the Stanley Cup final. (Photo courtesy of Fred Pedersen)
Oilers fandom hits Nunavut for Stanley Cup run
Edmonton Oilers flags flying in communities like Cambridge Bay as team prepares to take on Florida Panthers for NHL title
Fred Pedersen has been flying an Edmonton Oilers flag in front of his house in Cambridge Bay all year. Now that his team is in the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers, he’s seeing Oilers flags flying on cars in the community as well.
The best-of-seven series begins Saturday.
“There’s a lot of Oiler fans and a lot of people are happy right now,” Pedersen said.
The Oilers are one of seven National Hockey League teams based in Canada. Last Sunday, the team pushed its way to the Stanley Cup final by eliminating the Dallas Stars in six games.
Now the Oilers to become the first Canadian team to win the Stanley Cup since the Montreal Canadiens did it 31 years ago, in 1993.
But beyond Edmonton, the Oilers have their fair share of fans in Nunavut — in the Kitikmeot region especially.
As a fan, Pedersen said he was optimistic about his team’s chances at the start of the season. But his hopes faded after the Oilers started the year with two wins, eight losses and an overtime loss.
“I was like ‘oh my God, what’s going on?’” he said.
But the Oilers rebounded thanks to two of Pedersen’s favourite players, Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid.
“It’s amazing how good they are and the kind of plays they can make,” he said.
On top of that, Pedersen said this Oilers team has been faster and harder-hitting team than they used to be.
Hamlet of Cambridge Bay chief administrative officer Jim MacEachern agreed the community is excited about the Oilers’ Stanley Cup run.
“I probably couldn’t throw a stick in Cambridge Bay without hitting an Oilers fan,” he said.
While he said the hamlet does not have anything specific planned to mark the Stanley Cup final yet, it is planning to hold some events at the community hall.
Both MacEachern and Pedersen said Edmonton’s role as a community hub for the Kitikmeot region is a reason so many people there cheer for the Oilers.
Whether for medical reasons or Christmas shopping, people in the Kitikmeot will go to Edmonton, he said.
“Being tied to Edmonton that way makes it easy to cheer for the Edmonton teams,” Pedersen added.
In Kugluktuk, Shawn Kuliktana said he grew up following the Oilers with his father and uncle. He remembers watching the team make the Stanley Cup final in 2006, only to lose the best-of-seven series to the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 7.
“It’s been a long 18 years to see this moment again and have another shot at the Stanley Cup,” Kuliktana said.
He said he wished he could go to the games in Edmonton this year, as he went to a game when the Oilers made it to the Western Conference final two years ago.
“During the playoffs, it’s a totally different atmosphere, it’s an amazing feeling,” he said of watching a game in-person in Edmonton.
Kuliktana said he is also excited to see people in the community who cheer for other teams predictably now deciding to root for the Canadian team in the Cup final.
He said one of his close relatives is a Vancouver Canucks fan, but once the Oilers defeated the Canucks this year in the second round of the playoffs his relative decided to cheer for the Oilers since they are Canada’s last team standing.
The puck drops for game one of the Stanley Cup final on Saturday at 8 p.m. eastern time, with the Oilers taking on the Panthers in Florida.
“It should be a good series,” Pedersen said.
“But I hope the skill of the Oilers takes over.”
In these very terrible and unpredictable times, and when next doors neighbors are going hungry, and the world news paints pictures of gloom, just like the 1930’s depression, entertainment shall save the day. Go Oilers!
Does KIA still have a box at the Oilers Game?
No. If you go to any of the community meetings (they are open to the public) you could ask, or you can ask your elected board members too. I sense some jealousy in your post, time to heal. Anyway, I hope Oilers WIN!!! Have a good day.
Time to heal? lol … wtf
Bet its under another name..They buy houses and boxes lol.. and build power corps or try too.
Go Cuggies!!!
Toronto Maple Leafs forever.
Bring back the Original (real NHL)Six back.
Kick out WHA👿
The original 6 is still in the NHL.
LETS GO OILERS!!!!!
What was the score last night? 3-0?
Is Whyte Avenue boarded up and barricaded for the upcoming riots?
If you tune into CBC to happily watch the Edmonton Oilers Vs Florida Panthers and the game isn’t on. It’ll probably make you question if we even live in Canada any more?
During the Canadian heritage committee. MP Rachael Thomas put forward a motion for the CBC to commit to broadcasting all of the Stanley Cup final games. Then report to the House. The motion was put forward because the CBC last week chose to broadcast “Just for Laughs” rerun, then the Edmonton winning game. The game advancing Edmonton to the Playoffs.
You know that CBC who gets $1.4 billion per year from the taxpayers and pays whopper managerial bonuses. And won’t say the $$$$$$ figure paid on some of the top dog CBC bonuses. CBC has the rights to broadcast the games.
Well, gosh darn. Surprise, surprise Liberals, NDP and Bloc voted NO.
Conservatives voted YES to force CBC to broadcast the games.
Motion failed. Wonder what CBC will broadcast instead? Guessing, the Toronto nude bicycle ride or some old rerun.
Quincy, Corner Gas or SCTV re-runs.
I hope they (CBC) play “Wayne & Shuster or Red Green.😂😝
Go Pathers, Go!
GOILERS!!!!!!
What was the (A-Hem) agt last night?
4-1 for who?