'I'm committed': Oilers fan skips haircuts for 10 years waiting for Stanley Cup win
A local Oilers fan is hoping to see his team cut through the postseason, so he can cut his hair.
The last time Jeff Ottmeier had a haircut it was 2015.
"I would usually let my hair grow over the winter," Ottmeier said. "That day, I was like, 'OK, I'm not going to cut my hair again until the Oilers win the Stanley Cup.'"
Having worn his hair long in the past, he wasn't worried about it getting a little long.
But he wasn't expecting it to grow for almost a decade.
"Unfortunately, the hair is long, which means we haven't brought home Lord Stanley back to the City of Champions, but I'm hoping this is our year," he said.
Ottmeier said his hair has become a labour of love, and he shares yearly updates with followers on social media.
"There's people that are like, 'We've never seen you without it … when we think of Jeff, we think of the Oilers fan with long hair,'" he said.
Because of his job, caring for his long locks takes a lot of cleaning and maintenance, but Ottmeier said that isn't enough to deter him from his endeavor.
"As you can see by how long it is … I'm committed," he said.
So dedicated, he said, that he's willing to weather a Stanley Cup drought indefinitely.
"I guess I'm gonna start looking like Gandalf," Ottmeier said, adding he's happy he didn't decide to grow his beard too.
"But I mean, the sky's the limit," he continued. "Let's see how long we can go and maybe in a couple of years my hair will be down to the bottom of my waist … and we'll go from there."
If the Oilers do bring home the cup this year, Ottmeier is hoping to put close to a decade of growth to good use.
"If somebody wants to record that, I'm going to shave my head on TV and I want to donate my hair to charity," he said. "(For) anybody with cancer, anyone who possibly needs it."
You can follow the Oilers fan and his hair on X at @oilcountry1979.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Marek Tkach
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Air quality advisories issued in 5 provinces, 1 territory
Air quality advisories are in effect across Western Canada as smoky conditions plague some areas, according to the latest forecasts. Here's where.
Just how bad are ultraprocessed foods? Here are 5 things to know
Many foods fall under the category of ultraprocessed foods, depending on their exact ingredients. This type of food has been studied a lot lately, and the results aren’t great.
Steve Buscemi punched in the face while walking in N.Y.C.
Hollywood actor Steve Buscemi has been treated for injuries after being punched in the face while walking in New York City.
No refund for travellers who cancelled flight already scrapped by airline: regulator
Four years on, the controversy over whether airlines owed refunds to passengers after cancelling hundreds of thousands of flights during the pandemic continues to simmer, aggravated by a sluggish, opaque complaints process.
opinion Harry and Meghan's Nigerian adventure: traditional attire to warm welcomes
For her latest column on CTVNews.ca, royal commentator Afua Hagan writes about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's recent visit to Nigeria, calling it a 'deeply meaningful campaign' that was about aligning their ongoing efforts to foster mental-health awareness and promoting the Invictus Games.
Ontario's need for nurses, PSWs to top 33K and 50K by 2032: document
Ontario will need 33,200 more nurses and 50,853 more personal support workers by 2032, the government projects — figures it tried to keep secret but were obtained by The Canadian Press.
No concert ticket? No problem — Swifties can still gather at 'Taylgate' in Toronto
Whether you were lucky to nab tickets to one of Taylor Swift's six sold-out Toronto concerts in November or not, a new 'fan experience' hopes to get you into the party spirit.
'Oh my God, you're my brother': Man in his 70s discovers 6 unknown siblings
After receiving a DNA kit one Christmas from his son-in-law, Hugh McCormick soon discovered that he had six unknown siblings, with whom he shared the same birth parents.
DEVELOPING Michael Cohen takes the stand as testimony in Trump hush money case enters 4th week
The star prosecution witness in Donald Trump's hush money trial is set to take the stand Monday with testimony that could help shape the outcome of the first criminal case against an American president.