Send this page to someone via email

After an extensive online search, a 10-year-old Canadian boy named Axel will soon be getting something special from the Edmonton Oilers.

The Oilers had been searching for Axel Tripard, who lives in Ottawa, after the young fan sent a handwritten note to the team with a Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hockey card, asking the team if they could get the centre to sign and return it.

But the letter didn’t have a return address.

So the team sent out a tweet, and within 24 hours, team representatives managed to connect with Axel and his father, Byron Tripard.

“I was a bit shocked… once I heard… that they were trying to look for me, I was really excited about it,” Axel said Wednesday. Tweet This

#Oilers fans! We need your help. 🧐 10-year-old Axel is a big Nuge guy & sent us this note along with a hockey card but didn't include a return address. Does this sound like anyone you might know? Help us find Axel so we can get his RNH card home safe & sound. pic.twitter.com/x1HISzyrZr — Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 15, 2019

Story continues below advertisement

“He spent a good part of his summer sending letters to all of his favourite hockey players,” Byron said.

“It was his idea to start writing letters… He did everything from find the address himself, filling out all then envelopes himself, he even went into the post office on his own buying stamps.”

Axel also received a response from Calvin de Haan with the Chicago Blackhawks. When de Haan was in Ottawa recently, he visited Axel and brought him a stick.

“That certainly made his day. This is another nice outreach from another fine player,” Byron said.

The pair said they were contacted by a member of the Oilers organization Wednesday, who said they would be in touch with more details after the Oilers game against the Philadelphia Flyers Wednesday night.

Byron said that he didn’t realize Axel’s letter had created such a stir online.

The tweet had set off a flurry of reaction on social media shortly after it was posted, with other Twitter users helping in the search for the 10-year-old.

“It was Axel’s hockey coach that sent me an email and said, ‘Did you see this online?’

Story continues below advertisement

“I saw the letter and was like, ‘That’s Axel’s writing,'” Byron said. Tweet This

The letter itself said: “I am a big fan of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins but I don’t have a lot of things of Ryan. All I have is his hockey card.”

READ MORE: Edmonton Oilers win streak comes to an end in Chicago

“The reason why I’m sending this note is that I was wondering if I could get an autograph from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on the card in the envelope?

“Please don’t throw out and if he doesn’t want to do it, please send back.” Tweet This

2:58 Oilers look to woo fans to Rogers Place for 2019-20 season Oilers look to woo fans to Rogers Place for 2019-20 season

“I wanted to send this letter because I’ve been watching the Oilers sometimes, and every time Nugent-Hopkins is on, I’m watching him a lot,” Axel told Global News on Wednesday night.

Story continues below advertisement

“He’s a really good hockey player, and I look up to him a lot whenever I play hockey.” Tweet This

The pair said they will update Global News when they hear back from the Oilers.

Nuge & Oilers are both class act! I would be surprised if they didn’t send a signed jersey along with a signature on the card back. Fingers crossed they find a return address to the rightful owner. — Ian Hlus (@ianwake250) October 16, 2019

Is there a postal cancellation mark on the stamp?? I don’t know if Canadian mail works the same as US mail but it might help narrow down the search area? Or you could include this letter in the next game broadcast and hope the young man is watching or his folks — Kirsten (@kirstenbarta) October 16, 2019

Story continues below advertisement

So sweet of him to think of if whether or not Nuge wants to sign it 🥺 I really hope that you guys are able to get it back to him!!! 🤞🤞 — Kiana 🇨🇦💜 YYC A.C.E 07/6/2019🥰 (@MoonDaughter_28) October 16, 2019