I am SO pumped about this week’s feature! In the very first Women of Oilersnation feature, you met the amazing Jen Wrobel, and today you’ll meet her equally as amazing sister, Krista Gulseth!

We are so lucky to have these amazing sisters in our Oilersnation community, and I’m so excited to help everyone get to know Krista even better! If you’re not following her on Twitter, you should be!

KRISTA: I am Krista Gulseth/Kris/Rage Kage, hence the twitter handle. The nickname actually came from my husband’s friends and their love of Tenacious D (Kyle Gass). I am married to my (almost) high school sweetheart Mike Gulseth (I say almost because I was still in high school and he was already graduated and done a year of university when we met – we were 17 and 19 at the time – don’t make it weird!). This year marked our 18th year together!

We have two impeccable daughters (Alex and Liv), and last year got an adorable rescue pup #SodaTheDog.  I am an estimator for a metal fabrications company! I love that we do so many neat projects including (sadly, right before I started) the new Oilers doors at Rogers Place!  Needless to say, there is a LOT of hockey talk around the ol’ water cooler.  A couple of my coworkers and I even have a group thread where it is solely chat about hockey (well, and beers).

I am passionate about literally everything I do; if I’m not passionate, I don’t do it… However, to name a few things: my family is number 1.a., and my friends & my people are number 1.b.!  I am vehemently involved in helping others and live for giving back.  If it’s volunteering (like with Santa YEG), fundraising/raising awareness (like Edmonton Pride Run or HIV Edmonton), or many of the donations I try to do (and not even all monetary, like Canadian Blood Services and Find YEG). I acknowledge my privileges, and want to ensure I do my best to assist others.

Other than all of that, and my love of all sports (go local sports teams: I adore the new Elks name!), I love to sing (was in a choir for a few years) and I dance!  I joined a beginner jazz class this year, and it has been so much fun actually learning choreography for the first time, even if it’s on Zoom!

KRISTA: I was born into it.  I never remember a time when we (as a family) were not watching or talking about sports.  I would watch every Oilers game with my dad.  I’d watch the Edmonton Football Team with both parents (fun fact, they actually met each other at a game! My mom would come to the games with a cooler that always had hot and fresh hot dogs in it and my dad was won over by food!  The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.)!

I played basketball in my school years and even did camps at the Edmonton Trappers for baseball.  Besides hockey and CFL, I would watch mostly college football and NASCAR with my dad often.  When I was much younger, one of my friends said that my dad must have wished he had a son and that’s why he pushed so many sports on us, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth!  My dad was ecstatic he had three girls and we took our own interest in sports as we grew! I think I’m the only sister who hasn’t worked for a local sports team, I’ve only volunteered with other jr high and sr high school teams.

KRISTA: It is a completely lacklustre story, but of course I’ll share!  I was at WEM shopping with my husband and daughters and we went into the elevator to head down a level and Connor and Darnell were in there!  You could tell Connor didn’t want to interact with more fans as he turned away—we respected that and let him be.  But Darnell was his bold and smiley self!  He said “Hi” and I melted (and I don’t usually ‘melt’ for hockey players).  What was the cutest is my oldest daughter was star-struck!  That was not her first run-in with an NHL player either, but her first moment she seemed to be mesmerized by one.

KRISTA: I have so many so I’ll tell a few starting with the oldest one. I would have been about five or six and I used to come into the living room prior to bedtime. The pregame was happening and I used to only move one leg as a partial dance and say “The Oilers are going to win tonight – I can feel it in my BONES!”  Or when my oldest sister, Jen and I were watching the Oil (past my bedtime and in her room on an 8″ black and white tv, I was only 11) the Oilers were down 4-1 playing against the Stars. We were on the edge of her bed holding together in unison a “lucky hair” (anything can be lucky if you believe it can be) and Kelly Buchberger (who is my all time favorite hockey player) SCORED THE WINNING GOAL!

In 2006, after I met Mike, as you know the Oilers were in a playoff run; we had a camping trip to Jasper, and Mike proposed to me – I capped off the day telling my (future) mother in law, “This will truly be the best day of my life if the Oilers win tonight!” She was so happy it was “Hinging on the Oilers game” 🤷🏻‍♀️  Still in the 2006 playoffs, I was never at playoff game. My husband’s friend had an extra ticket and “auctioned it off” to his friends for someone to go with him.  He was thrilled when Mike “won” but not as thrilled when Mike told him he’d be taking ME instead! “What does a girl know about hockey anyway?” Well I went Rexall beer for beer with him and we had a freaking blast! I was able to keep up with all stats and knew all the players.

Two years ago, for our 10th wedding anniversary, Mike surprised me again and arranged a private autograph session with MY FAVORITE PLAYER OF ALL TIME – THEE KELLY BUCHBURGER!! It was absolutely the best day EVER!!

My favourite part would have to be the energy it gives me!  A lot of work goes together to organize the event; we run all over town(s) collecting donations, we are constantly communicating and asking (begging even) for favours, arrangements, or said donations, yet as soon as the excitement starts generating online and in-person at the event, it is a thrill!

I used to do event coordinating, and the day-of is always the most exciting!  Seeing everyone, hearing their stories and what an event like Oilers Girls Night means to them is so lovely!  Starting it from a simple ‘coming out’ party for Allison but to be an inclusive place to have some fun, spend some money for a great cause, and watch some hockey!  Being a proud member of LGBTQ2S+ myself, it’s a judgement free zone.

KRISTA: Absolutely it would be to not argue with my parents as much—life is far too short.  My dad passed away eight years ago, and my mom passed away last year.  Both were sudden and unexpected.  They were my biggest supporters and largest cheerleaders.  I’d force my hugs upon them more and tell them a million more ‘I love you’s’!  Although I will try to heed my own advice on that one and *try* not to argue more with my own daughters!  It’s easier said than done when they are just like me!

KRISTA: It’s a connection, a community, and even some are like family.  When joining in the ON talks on Twitter back in the day, it opened many relationships that I would never have found otherwise.  I would never want to give that up!