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Joey Moss (1963-) is the dressing room attendant for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League. Born with Down syndrome, Moss caught the eye of Oilers centre Wayne Gretzky in 1985, when Gretzky was dating Moss' sister. Impressed with the dedication Moss brought to a job at an Edmonton bottle depot, Gretzky suggested to team general manager Glen Sather that the young man be given a tryout. Moss's career with the Oilers was destined to long outlast Gretzky's, and his determination and passion for hockey have made him a nationwide celebrity and a major symbol of continuity within the franchise. (In 2006, during a surprising Oiler playoff run, he delayed elective surgery for a hernia in order to see the Stanley Cup tournament through to the finish.) His main duties with the team include cleaning, handling towels and water, and running errands for equipment manager Lyle "Sparky" Kulchinsky.
In 2003, Moss received the NHL Alumni Association's "Seventh Man Award" in recognition of outstanding behind-the-scenes service to the league. The Joey Moss Cup, a trophy contended for by Oilers players in an annual split-squad game near the end of training camp, is named for him.
References
- "Joey Moss Cup reflection of true Oiler spirit", Edmonton Journal, Sept. 10, 1999
- "Gretzky changed his life; Hockey great helped handicapped man get job", Ottawa Citizen, Jan. 27, 1990
- "Disability doesn't hold back Moss; Oilers locker-room attendant receives honour", Windsor Star, Jan. 29, 2003
- "Sather took Gretzky's advice on Joey", Edmonton Journal, Feb. 1, 2003
- Oilers' attendant a celebrity, Canadian Press: January 28, 2003
- Video of thousands of Oiler's fans singing the national anthem with a shot of Joey singing enthusiastically (Seen at 0:56)