Is the Oilers bandwagon a vehicle for national unity? It depends on who gets aboard

In the months leading up to last year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, the marketing whizzes at Boston Pizza pondered what might make a good campaign centred around the Canadian teams that were participating.They settled on the idea of getting Canadians to set aside their own team affinities and cheer for whichever squad north of the 49th made it to the finals – assuming one did. The company knew it was risky. Its own research showed it would be difficult for many to put aside their deep-seated passion for their own team and cheer for someone they normally cheered against – which last season ended up being the Edmonton Oilers.