Connor McDavid says every time the Edmonton Oilers win at home, they’ll be thinking about Ben Stelter.
“There’s that video where he says, ‘Play La Bamba, baby,'” McDavid said, referring to the old Richie Vallance song that serves as the Oilers’ victory anthem.
Two days after the six-year-old’s death from glioblastoma, a form of brain cancer, McDavid, along with Oilers forward Zach Hyman and head coach Todd Woodcroft, looked back at the impact the boy had on the team.
McDavid recalled first meeting Stelter in September.
“He was an amazing little boy who lit up every single room he was in,” McDavid said. “He definitely lit up our room every time he walked in there.”
Stelter became a visible part of the Oilers’ playoff run in 2022. Edmonton posted a 10-game winning streak at home at one point with Stelter in attendance.
Hyman recalled a day in late March when the Oilers beat the San Jose Sharks 5-2. Ben skated on the ice at Rogers Place and had the opportunity to tour the team’s locker room. After the game, Hyman appeared at a postgame press conference next to Stelter, who responded without hesitation that his favorite player was McDavid.
“Most kids his age would be nervous or even the players would be nervous in front of the media,” Hyman said. “It was a really great moment to share with him.”
Ben’s father, Mike Stelter, broke the news of his son’s death in a tweet on Tuesday evening. Ben was first diagnosed with glioblastoma before his fifth birthday.
He has become a beacon of optimism for a team that got off to a terrible start to the 2021-22 season that included a coaching change.
The Oilers finished the season strong and were the only Canadian club to qualify for the conference finals of the 2022 playoffs.
“Not only did he come into the locker room or the arena and ignite our team, but I thought he ignited our fans,” Woodcroft said. “What I found most interesting about my time with Ben was the impact that one kid had on the team and the organization in town.”
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