The Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards went down in Edmonton this weekend, and much to the delight of the Rogers Place faithful, a couple of Oilers made a surprise appearance when they jumped up on stage.

We’re in peak Kool-Aid season, people, and I’m taking down all things Edmonton Oilers as fast as the Internet can possibly feed it to me. So, to wake up to “Draisaitl at the CCMA” posts on social, I was all too happy to investigate what happened and I’m happy to report my findings with all of you.

While we’re all enjoying the Young Stars Tournament and getting ready for the start of another Oilers season, Rogers Place swapped slap shots for cowboy hats on Saturday night as some of the biggest names in Canadian country music were in town for the annual CCMAs. If you’re a fan of country music, this is massive moment for that genre in our country.

Yet, with the boys back in town for training camp and the city buzzing about the upcoming season, it wasn’t exactly surprising to think that our boys would sneak into the mix somehow. And who better to crash the stage than two Oilers veterans who are well known for being fun when the spotlight is on?

Enter Leon Draisaitl and Corey Perry, who crashed the stage for a little surprise appearance and mid-September gift giving. After jumping up on stage much to the delight of the crowd, the duo presented a custom Oilers jersey to country superstar and CCMA co-host Thomas Rhett and added a classic Canadian twist by handing out maple syrup shots. Because, of course they did.

“You’re in Canada now… and I’m sure you’ve heard it a million times: we have the best fans in the world, so welcome to Oil Country,” Draisaitl said, earning a thunderous ovation from the Edmonton crowd.

While Corey Perry didn’t get his hands on the mic this time, the future Hall of Famer has been enjoying his off-season in Edmonton over the last few weeks. Not only did he hit the CCMAs on Saturday, but he also made an appearance at Friday Night Smackdown when WWE rolled into town, and even got himself involved in the show. The Worm has been a busy man about town lately, and we love to see him embracing his time in Oil Country.

As much as it’s fun to see the boys mixing it up off the ice in places we don’t necessarily expect, you know everyone’s counting down to October 9, when the Oilers open the 2024-25 NHL season against the Winnipeg Jets. Hockey’s coming, folks, and the Kool-Aid is going down smooth. Drink up, everybody.

Oilersnation is rollin’ out the next Oilersnation Vacation to Denver, Colorado, from November 29th to December 3rd, 2024. Flights, hotels, Edmonton vs. Colorado hockey tickets, and, oh yeah, we’re tossin’ in Broncos vs. Browns football tickets too. But that’s not all—exclusive tailgates, parties, and pretty much the whole nine yards are all included. And the best part? You get to hang with the Oilersnation crew and a bunch of beauties who know how to have a good time. So lock in your spot, pack your bags, and get ready for a trip you’ll be talking about all season long. Head over to nationgear.ca for more details and to check out our available flight and non-flight booking options.