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Edmonton Oilers' new post-game award pays homage to team's glory days

Colton Pankiw
Colton Pankiw
|
Oct 2 2026, 6:04 pm
Edmonton Oilers' new post-game award pays homage to team's glory days
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It wasn’t pretty, but the Edmonton Oilers were able to pick up their first win of the 2026-27 season on Thursday night.

The Oilers found themselves leading the Vancouver Canucks 8-2 in the second period of what was a rematch between the two teams. Things went sideways in a hurry, with the Canucks cutting the deficit to just two goals before the night was over.

By the time the final horn sounded, however, the Oilers had held on for a wild 9-7 victory.

“I’ve never, ever met a bad win,” head coach Mike Babcock told his players afterward.

While nobody in the Oilers’ dressing room was thrilled with how the game unfolded, they were still able to put two points on the board. The victory also gave the team an opportunity to unveil a new post-game award.

Presented by captain Connor McDavid, the award connects with the organization’s rich history.

This time around, the Oilers are handing out an original Wayne Gretzky helmet to their player of the game.

“They set the standard for us, and it’s up to us to fulfill that and do what we want to do and finish off what they started,” McDavid said.

The Oilers captain then selected Owen Michaels as the recipient after the rookie scored the first NHL goal of his career.

The new award continues what has become a fun tradition with this core group in Edmonton.

Last season, the Oilers handed out two unique post-game awards: a piece of a pump jack and a high-vis vest. In 2024-25, they went with a WWE-style championship belt and an oilfield hard hat, while the 2023-24 season featured a painter-and-plumber theme.

The awards have become a way for the Oilers to put their own spin on the traditional player-of-the-game honour, while also connecting the team to its Edmonton roots.

With Thursday’s win, the Oilers now have three points through their first two games of the season. While things certainly could be worse, there is plenty this group will need to clean up if they hope to hand out their new post-game award on a regular basis.

Their next chance to do so will come Saturday night when the Oilers host the Seattle Kraken at Rogers Place.

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