While the Edmonton Oilers bandwagon is filling up with Canadians from coast to coast, Slater Koekkoek has a more personal connection to the team that’s trying to end this country’s 31-year Stanley Cup drought.
The native of Winchester suited up for 37 games with the Oilers in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons before retiring from professional sports to launch a business career.
His NHL days might be behind him, but the former defenceman remains as passionate as ever about the sport he loves.
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“I’m just happy that a Canadian team is all the way to the end here,” Koekkoek, 30, told OBJ on Monday, five days before the Oilers were slated to open the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers.
“It’s been a long time. I’m looking forward to watching and seeing what they can do. I’m just happy for a lot of the guys in that room who I know have worked really hard for it.”
A first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012, Koekkoek spent parts of nine seasons in the NHL with the Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks and Oilers.
But after playing 186 games in hockey’s highest league, he decided to move on to the next phase of his life. Koekkoek has been open about the mental health challenges he faced as an elite athlete, telling OBJ last year he had “a lot of anxiety issues towards the game” that led him to dedicate himself to therapy when he stepped away from the NHL.
Today, he’s the proud owner of Fulfill Home Services, a landscaping and home improvement company he launched this spring after winding down his previous business, FFYLwork.
FFYLwork was a staffing platform that connected workers with employers looking for labourers to fill casual shifts, mostly in the trades.
Within six months of its launch last year, the company had built up a roster of more than 70 employees. But Koekkoek ultimately chose to revamp his business model, citing the unpredictability of dealing with temporary workers and new provincial legislation that will soon require staffing agencies to put up $25,000 letters of credit the government could draw upon if needed to cover wages owed to employees.
After noting the high volume of calls he was getting from homeowners looking for help with landscaping and other household chores, Koekkoek decided in April to rebrand and jump full-time into the landscaping and light renovation business.
He hasn’t looked back.
“I was looking for a little bit more stability and an industry where I could start small and grow,” he explained. “With an aging population, people are looking to stay in their homes longer, but they need help. Also, younger people buying their first homes, they don’t know all the work that comes with that.
“The (pivot) seemed natural, and I’ve been really happy so far.”
But even the constant demands of growing a business from scratch haven’t stopped Koekkoek from getting caught up in Oilers fever. He’s been glued to the screen for every game of their Cup run, usually watching from his “man cave” at his Alta Vista home.
Still, business is never far from Koekkoek’s thoughts. When his former team eliminated the Dallas Stars in game six of the Western Conference final on Sunday night to punch its ticket to the big dance, Koekkoek hit on an idea.
The ex-blueliner, who wore sweater No. 20 during his days in Edmonton, has decided to offer 20 per cent off all his services for as long as the post-season continues. It’s his way of showing support for what’s quickly becoming Canada’s team.
“I just thought it would get people excited,” Koekkoek said of the promotion. “I’m a hockey fan through and through. I love the game, and I love that Canada is represented in the final. I hope that Canada can bring the Cup home.”
And yes, he might be a bit biased, but Koekkoek says he likes his former team’s chances of hoisting the cherished trophy.
Led by the dynamic duo of all-world centres Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, the Oilers are known for their offensive prowess. But Koekkoek admires the way they’ve stepped up their defensive play of late, and he’s predicting a close battle in the final.
“I think that Florida’s playing really well, but they haven’t locked down players like McDavid yet,” he said. “So I think that’ll be a big test.
“It’s just a really high-octane offence versus a team that really seems to be able to shut people down. I think that something’s got to give.”
