WATCH ABOVE: Social media has been buzzing even since NHL deputy commission Bill Daly unveiled that golden Oilers card Saturday night. Online producer Caley Ramsay has the details.
EDMONTON – They were the words Oilers fans everywhere were waiting to hear:
“And we have a winner. The first overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft belongs to the Edmonton Oilers,” said Bill Daly, NHL deputy commissioner.
The Edmonton Oilers had just an 11.5 per cent chance of winning heading into Saturday’s NHL draft lottery.
With the number one overall pick the Oilers now have the chance to select centre Connor McDavid, who is considered to be the best young talent to come along since Sidney Crosby.
READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers win NHL draft lottery, chance to pick Connor McDavid
Former voice of the Oilers, Rod Phillips, was watching the draft lottery on TV while on vacation in Phoenix. He couldn’t believe his eyes with that golden Oilers card appeared on his screen.
“I jumped out of my chair and my wife was in the next room and she said, ‘I thought you were having a heart attack,'” Phillips said with a laugh. “It was just a great moment in the franchise history.
“This could be the rebirth of the Edmonton Oilers franchise.”
Sports journalist Jim Matheson, who has been covering the Oilers since 1972, was also shocked by the lottery win.
“I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’ I don’t know why they don’t just rename the draft lottery to the Edmonton Oilers lottery.”
WATCH: Rod Phillips, Jim Matheson, and excited Oilers fans react to Edmonton winning NHL draft lottery
Oilers fans were quick to share their reaction on social media following the lottery Saturday evening:
https://twitter.com/Ferknuckle/status/589635014305783808
https://twitter.com/pegluv74/status/589837159453986817
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With their three previous top picks in five years, Edmonton selected Taylor Hall (2010), Nail Yakupov (2011) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2012).
The Oilers have not made the playoffs since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2006.
The 2015 NHL draft will be held on June 26 in Sunrise, Fla.
WATCH: Oilers win the 2015 NHL draft lottery
With files from The Canadian Press.
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