The sting of coming so close lingers in the Edmonton air this morning. I’ve spent the last 48 hours talking with heartbroken fans, players with red-rimmed eyes, and a city that collectively held its breath only to exhale in disappointment as the final buzzer sounded in Game 7.
When Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov hoisted the Stanley Cup last night, you could feel the collective slump of shoulders across our city. The silence that fell over Rogers Place was deafening.
“It’s the kind of pain that doesn’t just go away overnight,” Connor McDavid told me in the somber Oilers locker room. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, still wearing most of his gear almost an hour after the game ended. “We believed this was our year.”
The 3-2 final score doesn’t begin to tell the story of what Edmonton witnessed. A back-and-forth battle that saw momentum swing wildly throughout the series culminated in a nail-biting third period where the Oilers peppered Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky with 17 shots. Somehow, the Russian netminder turned away every single one.
At The Pint downtown, I watched as lifelong fans held their heads in their hands during those final minutes. Dave Semenko, who hasn’t missed an Oilers playoff game since 1983, simply stared at his empty glass. “This one hurts worse than ’06,” he muttered, referencing Edmonton’s previous Cup Final appearance. “We had it. We really had it.”
The mood outside Rogers Place after the game reflected the duality of Edmonton sports fandom – profound disappointment mixed with unmistakable pride. Thousands of fans remained in Ice District Plaza long after the game ended, many embracing, some wiping away tears.
“This team gave us everything,” said Jennifer Moss, her face still painted in orange and blue. “They’ll be back. This isn’t the end of something – it’s just the beginning.”
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi echoed those sentiments this morning in a statement released by his office. “While the outcome wasn’t what we hoped for, the Edmonton Oilers united our city in a way we haven’t seen in generations. They reminded us what it means to be Edmontonians – resilient, passionate, and always believing.”
According to figures released by the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, the Oilers’ playoff run generated approximately $71 million in economic impact for the city. Local businesses that struggled through pandemic closures found new life during the two-month playoff journey.
“We did three months of normal business in these playoffs alone,” said Tony Phung, owner of Oil City Hospitality Group. “Even with the loss, this team gave small businesses like mine a fighting chance to recover.”
The series also showcased Edmonton to a global audience. Viewership data from Rogers Sportsnet indicated that Game 7 was the most-watched hockey game in Canadian television history, with 11.2 million viewers tuning in nationwide.
For the players, the pain runs deeper than statistics can measure. Leon Draisaitl, who played through a reported high ankle sprain for much of the series, simply shook his head when asked about coming back next season.
“Right now, it’s just… empty,” he said, staring at the floor. “We’ll process this, but right now it’s just empty.”
Head coach Kris Knoblauch, in his first full season behind the Oilers bench, tried to provide perspective. “Champions aren’t made when everything goes perfectly. They’re forged through adversity like this,” he told the assembled media. “Remember how this feels. We’ll be back.”
Perhaps most poignant was the scene at the airport this morning, where despite the heartbreak, hundreds of fans gathered to welcome the team home. Children held signs that read “Always Proud” and “Thank You Oilers.”
As I watched Zach Hyman stop to sign autographs, his exhaustion evident but still making time for young fans, I was reminded why sports matter so deeply in our communities. They connect us, give us common ground, and remind us that even in defeat, there’s dignity in the effort.
The Stanley Cup won’t call Edmonton home this summer. The parade planning has shifted to Sunrise, Florida. But what remains here is a city forever changed by the journey – a community that came together, dreamed together, and yes, grieved together.
And come October, when the puck drops on a new season, you can bet Rogers Place will be full again. Because that’s who we are in Edmonton – we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and believe all over again.
Sometimes, that’s the most beautiful thing about sports. It’s never really over.
