A Rising Star and a Team in the Finals Rekindle Memories in a Changed City

The five retired men chatting outside a public library in a suburb of Edmonton, Alberta’s provincial capital, all had roots in South Asia.

Some were from India, others Pakistan. The group included Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims. Their work lives had varied.

But the group, which meets weekly at the library, was united in its late-in-life love of hockey and, in particular, the Edmonton Oilers.

Three members of the group said they would be at the library on Thursday night watching the Oilers on TV in their first Stanley Cup final game at home in 18 years. The team was down two games to zero in the best-of-seven championship series against the Florida Panthers (and ended up losing the third game on Thursday).

“I am fond of all sports,” said Saleem Akhtar, a former field hockey player from Pakistan who was wearing a Nike jacket with a Hockey Canada logo. “But now that I am here in Canada, hockey is No. 1 — and we have a good team.”