The NHL has grown accustomed to the Edmonton Oilers blasting “La Bamba” throughout these playoffs, but the reason behind the use of that song might be a mystery to some hockey fans.
Having a victory song is nothing new for hockey teams. For many, the decision of what song to play is random and based purely on vibes. That isn’t quite the case for “La Bamba” for the Oilers.
The story behind Edmonton’s victory song has a much deeper meaning and is meant to celebrate the lives of two extraordinary people to the organization and the city.
🔁 LA BAMBA 🔁 pic.twitter.com/srH4yA4Bm9
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 9, 2023
The story starts on a sad note, with the passing of longtime locker room attendant Joey Moss in 2020. He joined the Oilers in the 1980s after meeting Wayne Gretzky, who was dating Moss’ sister at the time. Moss had Down syndrome and had inspired Gretzky with his go-getter attitude and happy outlook on life.
Moss wound up staying with the Oilers far longer than Gretzky, becoming a staple in the dressing room and a fan-favourite among the fan base. He served as a shining example of what people with Down syndrome are capable of and inspired thousands of people to reach for their dreams.
Fans also knew him for his knack of sitting behind the Oilers bench before games and belting out the Canadian anthem. The team plays clips of Moss singing the anthem before each home playoff game.
Throughout Moss’ life, “La Bamba” was his favourite song, so to honour his memory, the team adopted the Richie Valens tune as their victory song in 2021 and has kept it up ever since.
The #Oilers organization is extremely saddened by the passing of our dear friend & colleague, the legendary Joey Moss.
Once an Oiler, always an Oiler.
RIP, Joey. 🧡💙 pic.twitter.com/KJSkN9oO9W
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 27, 2020
For a season, that remained the only reason why the Oilers cranked “La Bamba” whenever the Oilers won, but another one quickly materialized during the 2022 season. Ben Stelter, a five-year superfan battling brain cancer, introduced himself to the Oilers and their fan base by being a Scotiabank skater before a regular season game.
Immediately, he captured the hearts of both Oilers players and fans, all the while picking up a catchphrase that is still heard around Oil Country to this day: “Play ‘La Bamba,’ baby.”
Stelter served as an inspiration to the team and helped them along a playoff run to the Western Conference Final that season. Unfortunately, he died later that summer after the season ended and his memory has been intertwined with Moss every single time the Oilers play “La Bamba.”
The legacies of these very important people are held near and dear to the hearts of Oilers fans and it’s part of the reason why there was such an outcry against the Dallas Stars for using the song after beating the Oilers in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final earlier this season.
Luckily, fans were able to educate Stars fans about the song’s backstory and it turned into something beautiful.
While hockey remains the heartbeat of Edmonton’s sports scene, there is no question that the memory of both Ben Stelter and Joey Moss is just as important, if not more, than the performance on the ice.