Oilers Draft 2014: This Time It's For Real

Baby, you can't slow me down
I've come too far to ever turn back now
I've spent my whole life working
Working so hard for it, yes I did

For 30 extremely lucky young men, a whole life of working hard comes to fruition tonight in Philadelphia.  As NHL owners, General Managers and various front office drones parade to the podium in the First Union/Wachovia/Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, they'll congratulate the Kings, thank their fans, talk about a sports bar party, flash uneasy smiles, call names and parade 18 year-olds around the stage.  The kids at the top of the draft will be compared to Hawerchuk, Turgeon, Pronger, Langway and Jagr, and be called upon to right the sinking ships of woebegone franchises around the continent.  For some fans, the novelty of the experience is a thrill, and finding video clips of their new shiny toy gives them hope for the next 10 years.

Remarkably, after 8 years of rooting for the worst franchise in professional sports, legions of Oilers fans still have hope, and a belief in the team, a belief that this time it's for real.  This time the team will get it right.  Management will make the trade to get the defenseman, or pick the forward that completes the puzzle, or finally nab that franchise goaltender to lift the Oilers out of the gutter.

Let's hope they're right.

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