Scott Krebes at Kelly's Pub in Edmonton on June 6.Amber Bracken /The Globe and Mail
When the Edmonton Oilers punched their ticket to the Stanley Cup final in a nail-biter against the Dallas Stars last weekend, Oilers superfans Kyler Kotyk and Trevor Don Weal, almost in unison, said: “Well, are we going to Florida?”
It was an easy yes for both men, who on Friday boarded a plane for the Sunshine State for the first two games against the Florida Panthers. Mr. Weal, better known as McMullet and a fixture on Oilers television broadcasts, made sure to bring his orange and blue hair spray for his signature look.
Mr. Kotyk, meanwhile, packed his Ryan Smyth ‘06 jersey – which he has worn for the last three games, the team victorious each time.
“I’ve also got the shirt that I wore underneath it. I haven’t washed it. So, it’s a little gross,” he said jokingly on Wednesday. “But, hopefully, it’ll stay lucky.”
Mr. Weal said he’s not at all superstitious, but he, too, has worn the same jersey for the last three games and said, to appease his friend, he’ll sport the orange alternate jersey once again for Game 1 on Saturday.
Of course, they aren’t the only ones who seem to be leaning into their superstitions. Oilers captain Connor McDavid has seemingly worn the same grey checkered suit jacket with a white shirt and grey tie to the last three games as well. No word on if he’s been washing his outfit.
In Florida, the superfan duo will be cheering on their team with hundreds of other Oilers devotees also making the trek.
On Friday, tickets for Game 1 in Florida on the secondary market started at around $460. Contrast that with Game 3 in Edmonton, where seats start at around $1,300.
At Kelly’s Pub, a stone’s throw from the Oilers home, Rogers Place arena, Oilers jerseys hang from the rafters and banners of support for the local team dangle around the bar. Manager Scott Krebes said the Irish pub is preparing for a rambunctious few weeks, ordering enough booze and food to feed droves of people hoping Edmonton can be the team to end Canada’s 31-year Stanley Cup drought.
Mr. Krebes said their indoor and outdoor space, big enough to fit about 250 people, has been filled throughout the playoffs and he expects the finals to be just as busy – if not busier.
“On a regular season game night, we might go through two cases of wings. During the playoffs, we’re probably going through five,” Mr. Krebes said. “We’re trying to give all of our kitchen guys a couple days off because when it’s go time, 20 minutes after the game, you get close to 150, 200 people in here.”
He said the atmosphere has been electric, with people honking and cheering until the early hours of the morning after wins and, game days or not, you can’t step foot downtown without seeing throngs of people sporting the Oilers blue and orange. He said his pub has seen a significant jump in sales and so have many others in the city’s core.
“It’s a lot different from 2006 [the last time the Oilers made the finals] when the arena was in the north end compared to being right downtown. It’s definitely more lively and then with the Ice District and the Fan Park, that brings probably another 25,000 people downtown,” Mr. Krebes said.
New data from payment processor Moneris on spending during the first three rounds of the playoffs shows bars and restaurants near the Ice District saw double-digit sales growth during home and away games. Some of the largest increases were seen during the biggest wins, such as Game 5 of the last series when the Oilers set the Stars up for elimination.
The Oilers were defeated in the second round last year by the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights, so this year’s run is twice as long.
Puneeta McBryan, chief executive officer of the Edmonton Downtown Business Association, said having the team in the finals feels surreal.
“It all feels like bonus time, right? Every round is like, ‘Oh, we get to keep doing this,’ and that’s been really exciting. It’s revenue that businesses weren’t banking on because you can’t bank on the Oilers making it this far,” Ms. McBryan said. “Every dollar helps a lot in that industry and, the further we get into the playoff run, the more it’s also a tourism boost.”
She said hotels near the arena are seeing bookings climb but the economic boost is being felt citywide. The association, Ms. McBryan added, was worried that continuing financial difficulties brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic would catch up to businesses but this profitable playoff run is helping to keep doors open.
“It’s really fascinating how caught up this whole city is in the fate of our team,” she said.
“The spirit is everywhere. You can’t get away from it.”