Ben Stetler: good luck charm for the Edmonton Oilers

There are just some things that are bigger than the game. Five-year-old Ben Stelter has reminded Oilers fans and everyone else around the league that hockey can truly bring people together. Despite the battles and animosity on the ice, there are much more important fights occurring off the ice.

Ben Stelter, a five-year-old Edmonton Oilers fan, was diagnosed over a year ago with Glioblastoma, a brain tumor quite rare for children his age. Ben's dad, Mike Stelter, has created a Twitter account providing updates on his son's battle with this diagnosis.

The account updates Ben's treatments, and highlights his travels to NHL cities, meeting his favorite player Connor McDavid, and other interactions with Oilers' players. He has made several videos hyping up the team toward the end of the season and now into the playoffs. Ben served as the team's good luck charm during the home stretch to solidify a playoff spot.

Other teams are taking notice of Ben's battle with Glioblastoma. During the first round, the L.A. Kings posted this photo of their mascot with Ben:

Before Game 1 of the "Battle of Alberta," Calgary forward Matthew Tkachuk posted this video, recognizing Ben, saying "I'm sure you're not the biggest fan of me, but everyone here in Calgary is cheering you on."

In 2019 during the St. Louis Blues' cup run, we followed another story of a girl named Laila Anderson battling an autoimmune disease. She quickly won the hearts of Blues' players, and befriended defenseman Colton Parayko. She was their good luck charm on the Blues' unlikely run to win the cup. Laila sent a letter and an autographed card entitled "Heroic Inspirations" to Ben earlier this week:

Laila is said to be the inspiration behind Parayko's "Project 55" foundation, "bringing comfort and relief to hospitalized children and their families." You can check in out here: https://project-55.com

Upper Deck created a trading card for Ben of his iconic moment on the ice with McDavid. All proceeds from the purchase of this trading card go directly to the Kids with Cancer Society (@kwcyeg):

In the midst of the long-awaited battle of Alberta, sometimes it's nice to remember that there are things much bigger than hockey. #BenOilersStrong

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