'Oiler fans are a different breed': Local man shows off their team spirit with their Edmonton Oilers truck

The Edmonton Oilers hope to break a tie in Friday's Game 5 against the Dallas Stars and one fan is showing off his Oilers pride by decorating his truck in all kinds of Oilers memorabilia.

Ben Crockett owns a blue Ford F-150 truck that comes fully equipped with Oilers decals on the sides, hood and tailgate, along with six Oilers flags and tiny Oilers hockey gloves hanging from the rearview mirror.

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He's been a fan for as long as he can remember so this truck's aesthetic shouldn't come to anyone's surprise.

"I remember starting to watch hockey with my dad and basically just trying to follow the puck along on the TV," Crockett told CTV News Edmonton. "I have a signed picture with Buchberger … Ryan Smith has always been my main guy – I have a signed jersey by him, signed pictures and everything."

Crockett bought the truck "for the blue" around five years ago but only branded the vehicle during playoff runs for the past four years.

"The farther they go, the worse they get," he said, referencing the tattered Oilers flags.

An Edmonton Oilers-themed truck decorated by fan Ben Crockett, May 29, 2024. (Matt Marshall/CTV News Edmonton)Attending Oilers games is a regular occurrence for Crockett, as his employer has season tickets. Crockett described the Oilers fandom in Edmonton as something special.

"The atmosphere and the vibes in the city is not even comparable to other cities, in my opinion," he said. "Oiler fans are a different breed over here, and it's a good energy in the city when you know when everyone's part of playoffs like this."

According to Crockett, he receives plenty of reactions about his truck - mostly cheers, honks, and fist bumps, though he's received some unfavourable gestures along the way.

"I got two double-barreled fingers in the air the other day, but that was probably a Calgary fan or a Vancouver fan," Crockett said.

Crockett quipped that his wife often shields her face when they get reactions from the truck, but said that she is a true Oilers fan.

In fact, the two first met at an Oilers game - just another example of how the boys in blue and orange bring people together.

Although the truck does not stay in its Oilers-form all year long, Crockett's fandom is all day every day.

The Edmonton Oilers face-off against the Dallas Stars Friday at 6:30 p.m. for Game 5.