Matthew Tkachuk sends support to Edmonton Oilers mega-fan Ben Stelter
Matthew Tkachuk sends support to Edmonton Oilers mega-fan Ben Stelter
Ben Stelter is not a Calgary Flames fan. He's actually a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, and also a huge inspiration to all of the players on that team.
The five-year-old, who is battling brain cancer, has become a viral sensation for his online videos showing his dedication to the orange and blue.
Before the Oilers and Flames faced off on Wednesday, Stelter's dad posted a video for his son's on-ice heroes.
"Hey guys, you guys win a game and let's get Tkachuk," Stelter's said.
Stelter then proceeded to fire a Nerf gun at a picture of the Flames forward.
Tkachuk didn't take offence to the video.
In fact, after he saw it, he posted his own video on Thursday via the Calgary Flames' official account to say all of the Flames are all behind the youngster.
"Hey Ben, I'm sure you're not the biggest fan of me," he said in his video.
"I could tell by the video of you shooting a Nerf gun at me. But everyone here in Calgary is cheering you on and we're all big fans of you."
THIS IS BIGGER THAN THE GAME
The video was a touching exchange that helps keep life in perspective.
"It's way bigger than hockey, and it doesn't matter who you're rooting for, we're cheering him on," Tkachuk said.
"We know he doesn't like us and that's just what the game brings, but we're all obviously thinking about him and his family.
"He's a true warrior and we're definitely cheering him on and hoping for the best for him."
Stelter's dad has since retweeted Tkachuk's video, thanking the Flames for the love, and saying they can be friends "off the ice."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Boris Johnson resigns, remains U.K. prime minister for now
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced his resignation Thursday amid a mass revolt by top members of his government, marking an end to three tumultuous years in power in which he brazenly bent and sometimes broke the rules of British politics.

Here's who could replace Boris Johnson as U.K. prime minister
Boris Johnson was due to resign as Britain's prime minister on Thursday, bringing an end to a turbulent two and half years in office and triggering a search for a new leader.
Man pulled from burning car by five others on Ontario highway in 'heroic effort'
Five men are being hailed as heroes by the Ontario Provincial Police after saving a man from a burning vehicle on a Toronto-area highway earlier this week.
The next stage in the battle against COVID-19: bivalent vaccines
Several vaccine manufacturers are racing to develop formulas that take into account the more infectious Omicron variant now driving cases, while policymakers are laying the groundwork for another large-scale vaccine blitz.
Ukrainian medic released in prisoner exchange accuses captors of torture
A well-known Ukrainian paramedic who was held prisoner by Russian and separatist forces for three months after being captured in the southeastern city of Mariupol has accused her guards of psychological and physical torture during her time in captivity.
Intense video shows worker dangling from crane at Toronto construction site
Video has emerged showing a worker dangling in the air above a Toronto construction site after accidently getting entangled in a tagline attached to a crane.
Canada will keep ArriveCan for its data on COVID-19-positive travellers: sources
The federal government has no intention of dropping the controversial ArriveCan app because it gives the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) key health information about travellers who test positive for COVID-19 through testing at airports and land borders, senior government sources tell CTV News.
Inflation pushed 71M people around the world into poverty since Ukraine war
A staggering 71 million more people around the world are experiencing poverty as a result of soaring food and energy prices that climbed in the weeks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the United Nations Development Program said in a report Thursday.
Conservative party disputes Brown’s allegation political corruption behind his disqualification
Patrick Brown is alleging political corruption played a role in his disqualification from the Conservative Party of Canada's leadership race, a move that came following allegations that his campaign violated election financing rules.