We’re almost there. The Stanley Cup final. Arguably, the most desired sporting trophy in North America. Ice hockey goes a long way to defining Canada’s national identity, yet the last time Canadian team hoisted the Cup was back in 1993 by the NHL’s most storied franchise - the Montreal Canadiens. Last season saw the fairytale run of the underdog Calgary Flames to within one goal of a championship, the first time a Canadian team had made the finals since the Vancouver Canucks in 1994.

Once again, this year’s playoffs have provided many surprises, with favourites succumbing to first round exits and unheralded teams basking in the limelight. Enter the Edmonton Oilers, the eighth-seeded team in the west. They’ve knocked off the number one team in the league, then the next best in the west with all top four seeds ousted in the first round. One game stands between the Oilers and a place in history.

Sure, we’re not at the Stanley Cup final yet, but getting there is half the battle. Once again, all of Canada holds its hopes high that this will be the season a Canadian team will bring home the prize it created. As a Canadian at heart I can’t help but get caught in the upswell of national pride that continues to rise with each Oiler victory. That they would come this far was considered impossible. Should a Stanley Cup victory be considered improbable?

Why does this mean so much to Canadians? Their teams have suffered at the growth of American teams in a league pushing for a greater captive audience. Escalating salaries coupled with a negative exchange rate pushed the big stars away from the Canadian markets, making it harder to survive in an increasingly American league. Something had to give, and it came in the form of a lockout. The pain still sears… The level playing field displayed by these playoffs have gone a long way to healing the pain of a season lost.

No matter what happens this year, one team will win their first Stanley Cup. Despite the fact my Canadiens will be nowhere near the final, my heart will hold true to its Canadian alleigence, praying that this is the year Lord Stanley returns to its national (and rightful) home.