Updated Jan 28 at 12:45 p.m.
Elk Valley hockey player Tyler Palmer nearly got a shot at playing with his favourite national team, when he was selected as backup for two Edmonton Oilers games in the span of a week.
Palmer is a former Junior Ghostrider, who currently plays for the University of Alberta Golden Bears in Edmonton. Palmer got a call from his coach asking him if he would sub-in for Oilers goalie Calvin Pickard in their game against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 21. He later returned on Jan. 27 for a game against the Seattle Krakens, as a backup for Stuart Skinner, who was attending the birth of his second child.
Pickard ultimately jumped in to serve as goalie in both games, so Palmer did not end up getting the chance to play, but he was able to warm-up with the team on the ice as they prepared for their game against the Kraken. Palmer has been a life-long Oilers fan and has looked up to the team since he was a child.
"It turned out it wasn't the case, but it was still a really cool experience to get that call and still be able to watch the game and get to go back into the team's area," he said.
"I was pretty excited, pretty nervous," he added.
The Oilers ended up narrowly losing to the Capitals in a close 3-2 match. Palmer said it was exciting to watch and he was able to pick up some pointers to improve his own technique. Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl opened the game with a goal in the first period and assisted right winger Corey Perry's eighth goal, bringing the score one point shy of the Capitals' in the final minutes of the game.
They rebounded with a 4-2 win over the Seattle Krakens. Pickard made 26 saves in the net, bumping the Oilers into first place in the Pacific Division on Monday.
Palmer's coach Stan Marple said the Bears and the Oilers have always had a strong relationship, and the Oilers have drawn from the Bears in the past as back-up players. When the Oilers reached out to him to ask him to send someone over, he knew Palmer was the guy. Marple said Palmer currently ranks in the top three goaltenders in the Canada West League.
Recently, Palmer led the Bears in a 4-0 win against the University of Regina Cougars on Jan. 17, with a 25-save shutout.
Originally from the Elk Valley area, Palmer moved to Lethbridge at the age of 13 where he played with Double A Jr. Hurricanes and Triple A Golden Hawks. He later joined the Spruce Grove Saints in Edmonton, before moving on to play with the Bears. The Bears are currently vying for a spot in the playoffs to get a shot at making it to Nationals, and Palmer said he has his sights set on being a professional hockey player.
