Remembering Joey Moss: Oilers Mega 50/50 one way team honouring Edmonton sports legend

In the course of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, there’s one essential particular person lacking from the Oilers dressing room. Former locker room attendant and superfan, Joey Moss, handed away in October 2020, leaving a gap within the group.

All through the post-season, the group and followers have been doing what they will to maintain Moss’ legacy alive.

The staff performs La Bamba in Moss’ honour as their win track, a brass bust has been put within the dressing room, Moss is proven singing O’ Canada on the jumbotron and the Ice District Plaza is unofficially often called the “Moss Pit”.

WATCH MORE: Edmonton sports activities legend Joey Moss dies at 57

Now, when the ticket is drawn within the Edmonton Oilers Playoff Mega 50/50 on June 6, three organizations near the center of Joey Moss can even be winners.

“Joe wouldn’t assume a lot of it,” stated former Elks tools supervisor Dwayne Mandrusiak. “When everybody else was speaking about how nice he was, Joe was simply cleansing up.”

The proceeds for the multi-million greenback draw will profit the Particular Olympics, Edmonton Down Syndrome Society and the Winnifred Stewart Affiliation to honour the legacy of Moss.

“Joey Moss crashed by way of limitations on the planet of sport for folks with mental disabilities,” stated Celina Comeau, common supervisor of Particular Olympics Alberta – Edmonton. “Particular Olympics Edmonton appears ahead to persevering with his legacy.”

Moss lived with Down Syndrome, and initially related with the NHL staff within the ’80s, when Wayne Gretzky dated Moss’ sister.  He joined the Edmonton Elks soccer staff across the similar time, in the identical function below Dwayne Mandrusiak, who was tools supervisor for the staff.

READ MORE: EE Soccer Crew’s 50/50 raises practically $1M; half to go to Joey Moss Memorial Fund

“You choose up the telephone when Wayne Gretzky calls,” Mandrusiak instructed International Information. “He requested if Joe may come work for us. I stated I don’t know the circumstances. I don’t know if Joe will prefer it right here or not.”

Moss spent greater than three a long time working with the Elks and Mandrusiak. Moss even stayed with the Mandrusiak household.

“He taught my boys persistence and inclusion,” Mandrusiak stated. “They grew up collectively. It was actually a tremendous factor to observe.”

When requested about sharing his tales of Moss with International Information, Mandrusiak replied “something for Boss Moss,” displaying the deep bond the pair shared over their 30 years working collectively.

READ MORE: Condolences, fond reminiscences pour in for Edmonton sports activities legend Joey Moss

“We known as him Boss Moss as a result of anybody who got here to work with us at coaching camp, he was their boss.”

“He made all people higher as a result of he labored so arduous,’ Mandrusiak stated. “He’s there. He’s all the time going to be there.”

The previous Elks tools supervisor remembered a time when he instructed Joey that he may have a beer with him when he completed vacuuming. He discovered him on the ground of the dressing room selecting up sock lint together with his fingers.

“I went ‘my goodness I’m going to have to choose up my recreation!’” he remembered. “We miss him a ton.”

READ MORE: Folks Journal highlights friendship between Wayne Gretzky and Joey Moss

Silver Delorey additionally misses his buddy and former coworker. Delorey first began working with Moss and the Oilers when he was a child.

“He was my first boss,” he stated. “I’m an eight to nine-year-old child and he’s received me working round this room. He simply by no means stopped being my boss.”

Delorey was an tools supervisor with the Oilers. He stated Moss had a particular skill to assist out those that had been minimize or been traded.

“They arrive again, the primary query they ask is the place is Joe?” stated Delorey.

Delorey stated the completely different memorials just like the anthem singing, taking part in his favorite track, the bronze bust within the dressing room, and now the 50/50 are preserving Moss’ reminiscence alive.

“He’s being elevated to the place he ought to have been the entire time,” Delorey stated.

Delorey misses Moss’ kindness and talent to make folks blissful.

“That’s what the (additional) chromosome is… it’s the love-some,” Delorey stated “All of them get it and all of us try for it.”

Each Delorey and Mandrusiak agree that they wouldn’t be the identical with out Moss’ affect and neither would the Metropolis of Edmonton.

“Somebody as soon as requested me if I believed Joe would commerce what he must be what we name regular,” Mandrusiak stated. “I stated, ‘Not an opportunity, as a result of what Joe had was particular.’”