There are four words the Golden Knights don’t want to hear during their upcoming NHL playoff series with the Edmonton Oilers.
“Play ‘La Bamba,’ baby!”
The Mexican folk song “La Bamba,” first made famous in 1958 by Ritchie Valens and popularized again by Los Lobos’ cover for the 1987 movie of the same name, serves as the Oilers’ victory song. If it’s ringing out at Rogers Place during the second round, that’s not good news for the Knights.
But “La Bamba” is more than just a postgame tradition in Edmonton. The song holds a special place in the city and serves as a tribute to two of the Oilers’ biggest fans.
Who is Joey Moss?
The Oilers’ connection to “La Bamba” started with Joey Moss, the franchise’s longtime dressing room attendant. Moss, whose sister dated Edmonton star Wayne Gretzky during the 1980s, loved the Los Lobos adaptation from the movie and was known for performing it at the Oilers’ Christmas parties.
“They probably have the best winning song after a game,” Gretzky said during a TNT broadcast in 2024. “We used to have bands that would come to our team Christmas party and Joey loved to sing. But the only song he really wanted to sing was ‘La Bamba’ and he would sing it every Christmas party and that’s where it all kind of came from.”
Wayne talks about his friendship with Joey Moss, a former Oilers locker-room attendant with down syndrome pic.twitter.com/qk3YAaRVqd
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 28, 2024
Moss, who was born with Down syndrome, died in 2020. He was 57.
In honor of the beloved Moss, the Oilers began playing “La Bamba” at Rogers Place after every home victory starting with the 2021-22 season.
Ben Stelter’s role
The song took on added meaning that campaign thanks to Ben Stelter. The Oilers superfan was invited to skate on the ice prior to a March 24, 2022, game against San Jose. Stelter was given the game MVP helmet and jacket following Edmonton’s 5-2 win.
Stelter quickly became an inspiration to Oilers star Connor McDavid and his teammates. During Edmonton’s run to the 2022 Western Conference Final, Stelter’s postgame video message of “Play ‘La Bamba,’ baby!” served as the city’s rallying cry.
An orange “Play La Bamba Baby” sign was put up at the south end of the Walterdale Bridge in Edmonton during the 2022 playoffs.
Stelter died in August 2022 at age 6 after his battle with brain cancer.
‘La Bamba’ lives on
The Oilers continue to use “La Bamba” as their victory song to honor Moss and Stelter. The team’s fans remain protective of its significance.
After a Game 2 win over the Oilers in the 2024 Western Conference Final, the Dallas Stars’ DJ played “La Bamba” as a way of trolling the visitors. The move was widely criticized on social media, and the Stars’ DJ apologized while explaining he was unaware of the song’s significance to the Oilers and their fans.
Contact David Schoen at [email protected] or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on X.
