As loyal Nationeers are aware, something excellent happened last week – something that could only happen when a bunch of ridiculous Oilers fans band together to ensure that they’re getting best coverage a young website can provide them with.

Like a pack of maddened, hockey-obsessed jackals, you goons got together and decided to fundraise to send a Nation writer to Montreal so you could get all the Entry Draft coverage you’d ever want. It started with a snide remark Brownlee made about Wanye being a “cheap screw“.

And fair enough. Wanye’s so cheap he steals empty cans of Lucky Lager and then comes to my place to fill them up with my über-expensive vitamin P. And I have to spend the next week sober. SOBER while trying to maintain order here.

But when long-time OilersNation commenter humantorch (currently livin’ large in Holland) suggested he’d pitch in a few bucks to send Brownlee to cover the Draft, well… For those of you just joining us, this should get you up to speed.

I bet a lot of you are wondering how things are going so far. I’m pleased to say that there’s no question anymore: we WILL be sending herr Gregor to the 2009 NHL Entry Draft this coming weekend. Will Fraser and Brownlee are even going to cover his show while he’s gone!

Here’s the breakdown for you:

TEAM 1260 donation: $1,000
Wanye’s donation: $500

For a total of $1,500. Not bad, right? What’s really astonishing, though, is you guys.

You have raised a whopping $1,815 at last count.

That makes for a grand total of $3,315!

Sweet shit, Nation! You’ve done it. Gregor, Club Supersex, schooners of Fin Du Monde beer… You’ll have your Draft coverage!

I’m only joking, of course. As stated before, any money raised exceeding what’s required for Gregor to cover the Main Event over the weekend will be donated to the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation. So don’t stop now! Let’s try and get together an obscene amount of money for the kiddies, and I’ll make sure Brownlee, Gregor and myself get a photo of us handing over a novelty-sized cheque to the fine men and women at the Stollery.

And who will that cheque be from?

Why, the fine Citizens of the OilersNation.com, of course.