Can you believe we’re already getting close to that wonderful time of year when our favourite hockey squadron really has a chance to shine? Know what I’m talking about? Of course you do. Any fan of the blue and orange knows that I can only be referring to the upcoming entry draft and celebrating the fact that our boys are lined up with another top-10 pick. Thanks to our friends at Cornerstone Insurance, we’re locked in for another party with the Nation to celebrate another new beginning at the Canadian Brewhouse.

Since heading into the draft with a lottery pick is as about predictable as the rising sun, we thought it would be a good idea to organize and throw a Draft Party to give Nation citizens a reason to get together and celebrate the garbage fire that was the last season. Last year, we took a year off from throwing a draft party, but we decided that we all needed a reason to celebrate after the disappointing year we just experienced. With a new regime now firmly in place and Old Dutch swinging his axe at the OBC, we thought that this draft party could be the kickoff for what will likely be one of the most important offseasons in team history. Besides, I think we could all use a little positivity right about now, don’t you think?

You’d think that throwing an annual draft party would bring shame and heartbreak, which could be the case for lesser fanbases, but not for us here in Edmonton. Rather than feeling bummed out about where we’re at in our hockey lives, we use the draft as an opportunity to turn frowns upside by trying to look at the bright side. Yeah, we’ve had (and wasted) plenty of high draft picks over the past decade, which something that gets repeated often by opposing fanbases as a means to insult us, but this new era feels like it could be different. For the first time in as long as I can remember, the team now has a GM in place that believes in development and that can only bode well for whoever our new toy will be on June 21st. To me, that’s a step in the right direction.

As for the party itself, and I know we’ve talked about this a lot, I can’t help but think of how lucky this organization is to have the fans they do. Here am I asking you to join us for another draft party when plenty of other franchises would be struggling to keep people interested after so many years of terrible hockey. Can you imagine if Vancouver missed the playoffs in 12 of the past 13 years? Their fans would be more concerned with what flavour of sunscreen to bring to Wreck Beach rather than who their “team” will be drafting that summer. That’s what makes everyone that reads and participates on this website so special. Rather than throwing in the towel, we’ll support this team until our hearts stop beating and that’s a beautiful thing. Smart? Probably not. Beautiful? Definitely! And for that, the organizations should be forever grateful.

Since throwing a Draft Party to celebrate failure can certainly be described as sad, we always want to make sure there’s a positive spin on the event, so we’re looping in a charity angle as we always do. If we’re going to ask all of you to help us throw a party to celebrate shiny new buttons, we’d better make sure to find a way to make a difference in our community as well. Tickets are $10 with net proceeds being donated directly to the University Hospital Foundation. Thanks to our incredible sponsors and partners, we’ve been able to lower our overall costs to maximize the donation but we’ll need your help.

For each ticket you buy, you’ll get a free pizza card from the Brewhouse, a $10 Oodle Noodle GC, sticker pack, a chance to win a signed Nuge jersey courtesy of ATB Financial, door prizes, and the knowledge that you’ve helped us raise money for a great cause. As much as it’s fun to get together and party, we truly do hope to raise as much money as possible and we know that means asking you to abstain from buying those Pogs you wanted and come hang out with us instead.

Tickets are available here and will be on sale straight through until the date of the party. Thanks so much for the support and we look forward to seeing you there.