'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
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
DEVELOPING Hamas accepts Gaza ceasefire proposal from Egypt and Qatar
Hamas said it has accepted a ceasefire deal proposed by Egypt and Qatar, which seeks to halt the seven-month war with Israel in Gaza, prompting Israel to say it would send a delegation to negotiate – though it warned the proposal remained far from the 'necessary requirements.'
An American soldier was arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, U.S. officials say
An American soldier has been arrested in Russia and accused of stealing, according to U.S. officials. The soldier was stationed in South Korea and was in the process of returning home to the United States, but travelled to Russia.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Competition Bureau launches inquiry into Lululemon over 'greenwashing' allegations
Canada's Competition Bureau has launched an inquiry into Vancouver-based Lululemon following a complaint from members of an environmental group.
NDP calls out Conservatives for effort to quash pharmacare legislation
The federal New Democrats are calling out Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and his party for trying to block the bill that could pave the way for millions of Canadians to access birth control and diabetes coverage.
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc tabled legislation in the House of Commons on Monday proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada. Bill C-70 proposes to enact a new 'Foreign Influence Transparency and Accountability Act.'