FEATURE: For Ben

EDMONTON, AB - "Play La Bamba, baby."
They're the immortal words of Ben Stelter -- number one fan, good luck charm, and the greatest inspiration of the Edmonton Oilers -- that will live on in the hearts and minds of the club's players, coaches and fans forever.
Ben is no longer with us after passing on Tuesday night following his heroic battle with glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer he was diagnosed with in March 2021. But his spirit will never leave the Oilers dressing room, where he endeared himself to the players and staff with his presence, and the seats at Rogers Place, where fans stood in applause for his determination.

Before Ben became known as the emotional heartbeat of the Oilers during a memorable and unforgettable season, he formed an immediate connection with McDavid last September after his father Mike reached out to the captain via Twitter. Ben and Connor would form a tight bond through Ben's experience that would expand soon enough to include the extended Oilers family and hockey community.
"I got a chance to meet him for the first time and just fell in love with him and the entire family right away," McDavid said. "We just developed that relationship over the course of the year. I just loved being around him. I think Woody made a great point on how professional athletes have an impact on kids, but Ben had such an impact on our team and myself even in the short time I knew him over the course of the year. So strong, so brave."
Despite surgery, four rounds of chemotherapy and 30 sessions of radiation treatment following his diagnosis, the tumour returned in December, leading to more surgery and radiation treatments this past March. A week before the next sessions would begin, Ben was selected to be the Scotiabank Skater and join McDavid on the blueline for the national anthems prior to the Oilers hosting the San Jose Sharks on March 24.
"It'd have to be sharing that moment with him when he was that skater there," McDavid said, sharing his favourite memory of Ben. "Just being able to see his face and be close to him. Not a lot of people get to experience what the ice feels like and what it sounds like. It was pretty loud in there and that's coming from someone who does it almost every single night. To be able to experience that with him was very special and is something I will always remember."

It was that incredible evening, a 5-2 victory over the Sharks, where Ben's bravery and energy began to take hold of the hearts of Oilers players and fans.
Ben received a standing ovation from Rogers Place during the second period, provided fist bumps after the game in the tunnel, then joined the Oilers post-game in the dressing room where he ignited the players and received the team's player of the game helmet and vest.
Ben joined forward Zach Hyman on the stage in the Hall of Fame for the post-game press conference, wearing that same helmet and vest along with the smiles and giggles that lit up a room of Oilers and an arena of 16,000-plus fans.
"First and foremost, how he wasn't nervous or shy at all," Hyman recalled of the experience. "He was ready to go on stage and he was excited to go on stage whereas most kids would be nervous to go on stage in front of media. Some players would be nervous. He was excited and had a huge smile on his face and just wanted to talk about the game and the win."

Even with Hyman sitting beside him, Ben picked out his favourite players as McDavid and Draisaitl to which the forward couldn't disagree with. Chants of 'Ben! Ben! Ben!' were made by Oilers fans, prompting Hyman to stop the press conference mid-question to draw Ben's attention to the other side of the glass.
"They're chanting your name out there. Do you see all the fans on the other side? Look at all the fans," Hyman said as Ben gave a wave to the crowd.
"They're all cheering for you."
The Oilers would go undefeated at Rogers Place with Ben in attendance for the rest of the regular season, even inviting him out for practice on April 28 when he joined some of his heroes on the ice and received his first NHL goal puck. After the practice, Ben was presented his own Upper Deck 'Heroic Inspirations' card in the Hall of Fame Room by McDavid as a memento of his bravery.

The Stanley Cup Playoffs was where 'Play La Bamba, baby' reached another level, with the biggest cheers in the pre-game playoff video coming when Ben came on the jumbotron and electrified a Rogers Place full of screaming fans with four words.
Either in attendance or away from the team, after a win or a loss, Ben was always there to lift the club -- a testament to his incredible spirit despite his own condition.
The outpouring of support for Ben from around the NHL was immense, showing that no rivalry or playoff matchup was enough to overshadow Ben's bravery. After his passing, condolences poured in from around the league as we all remembered a true hero who brought light to others despite his own challenges.

"The response of our organization and our community, the response of the hockey world, Connor mentioned that earlier that how well known Ben was throughout the hockey world and how many people are expressing condolences to Ben's family," Woodcroft said. "I think that speaks to the impact that he had."
The Edmonton Oilers extend their deepest condolences to Mike, Lea, Emmy, Dylan and the entire Stelter family, but express their most sincere thanks for allowing Ben to have the impact that he did in such a short time on the players, fans and the entire hockey family.
Ben may be gone, but he'll never be forgotten in Oil Country.
"We lost a little boy who displayed nothing but courage on a daily basis," he continued. "He was able to inspire a team and a city and he had the support of everybody in Northern Alberta and across the country. As a father, as I said earlier, it was special for me to see the effect that he had on so many people. I'm just thankful for my time I got to spend with him.
"We lost a bright light, but his spirit will live on."