GENE'S BLOG: Twas the Night Before Christmas

The room was quiet, the rink was empty and the stalls were bare. It happens this time of year when hockey is put aside for a few days. The game on the ice is substituted by life in the outside world. It's time to spread holiday cheer and partake in some as well. The schedule giving the Edmonton Oilers a chance to get away and go away for a few days to spend with their families.

In the case of Mikko Koskinen his family is here. Mikko's mother, father and sister arriving from Finland and staying thru the holidays with the Oilers netminder.
"Christmas Eve is always very big for us," explained the 30-year-old. "We always have dinner and after dinner we open up gifts."
It's a familiar refrain you will hear from many of Koskinen's teammates.
"We do dinner and then gifts," chimed in Darnell Nurse. "This year we're actually spending more time with my mom's side."
There is always the mandate, if possible, to spend it with both sides of the family.
"We usually go out to St. Paul on Christmas Eve," explained Matt Benning. "That's where my wife Janelle's family is. Then on Christmas Day we spend it at my parents and everyone comes over."

In the case of some of the older Oilers they are the ones doing the hosting.
"Christmas is at our place this year," said 34-year-old Kyle Brodziak. "My wife Nicole does a lot of the cooking and my job is really to put things together."
Well he is pretty handy on the ice and apparently the same goes for Brodziak away from the rink.
"When you have three boys (seven and under) there are a lot of toys to put together and batteries to be inserted. My job is to make sure everything works."
Last season Brodziak, who was with St. Louis, finished his pre-Christmas schedule in Vancouver so he was able to make it home. Home is where Ty Rattie was headed upon the completion of the Oilers-Lightning game.
"I bought a house three years ago," said the Oilers winger and Airdrie, Alberta native. "Even though I have my own place I stay at my parents on Christmas Eve. Then it's Christmas on the 25th and World Juniors on the 26th."

The gift opening schedule varies from player to player but what their favorite gifts are have a very hockey oriented theme.
"I remember getting a plastic net," said Darnell Nurse.
"It felt great to be able to just rip pucks into it."
The d-man wasn't the only one to get a net.
"I got one when I was 8-9 years old," said Zack Kassian. "But I got an upgrade because we went from a plastic net to a metal one."
Mikko Koskinen received something special which had a Finnish feeling to it.
"I can't remember how old I was," explained the netminder. "But I got a Saku Koivu national team jersey."
It would have been hard for Drake Caggiula not to remember what he got for Christmas because it happened year after year.
"In my stocking I used to always get a Don Cherry Rock em Sock em video. I'd open it up and then my dad, brother and I would go downstairs and watch it." How long did this go on? "It started when I was just a little kid and my parents kept doing it until my last year of college."
This season the Oilers really have a nice break to spend with family. Some will spend it right here at home (Matt Benning) others hopped on a plane (Darnell Nurse, Connor McDavid, Chris Wideman, Drake Caggiula) right after the game against Tampa. With their next action not until December 27th it really will feel like the most wonderful time of the year.
From my family to yours wherever you are, whomever you are with all the best during the holiday season. Merry Christmas.