EDMONTON, Alberta - Jake DeBrusk was just nine years old when the Oilers surged to the Stanley Cup Final in the spring of 2006. But the Edmonton native remembers well watching his favorite team fall a game short of championship lore.
"I was here for a couple tough years, but I was also here for their Cup run," DeBrusk recalled. "My favorite player was Ryan Smyth. I think that he was just the ultimate Oiler. There was a game in the playoffs that he got stitches and was bleeding and came back and scored in overtime.
"I remember going to those games, one against Detroit when they won in Game 6. [Smith], [Ales] Hemsky, [Sergei] Samsonov. I remember that whole team."
DeBrusk Excited to Play in Hometown
Rookie will suit up for first game in Edmonton as an NHLer