Edmonton Oilers fans now have a better idea of what to expect on the ice when the new season comes around in a few months.
On the last day of July, the Oilers revealed jersey numbers for seven of the additions made to the team throughout the offseason, including marquee signings Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, as well as trade acquisition Matthew Savoie.
There were a few interesting decisions by the newbies.
#Oilers have announced jersey #’s for new players next season:
Jeff Skinner: #53
Victor Arvidsson: #33
Matthew Savoie: #22
Josh Brown: #44
Connor Carrick: #58
Collin Delia: #60
Ruby Jarventie: #61— Preston Hodgkinson (@NHLHodgkinson) July 31, 2024
Skinner will continue the #53 jersey he has worn throughout his career with both the Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres. He will become the first Oilers player ever to wear that number.
Another interesting tidbit about Skinner’s jersey is that appears his name bar will read as “J. Skinner” to differentiate him from Edmonton goaltender Stuart Skinner. There is no indication whether or not Stuart will follow suit with a “S. Skinner” name bar next season.
New #Oilers 🟰 new digits 🔢
A thread 🧵 pic.twitter.com/H4WXMHFEMa
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 31, 2024
Arvidsson will also be sticking with what he knows, as he brings over the same #33 that he wore as a member of both the Nashville Predators and LA Kings. It’s a curious choice for a forward as numbers in the 30s are usually reserved for goaltenders.
The 31-year-old Swede will become the 22nd player in Oilers history to don the number and the first since emergency backup goaltender Matthew Berlin wore it for just a few moments in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2022-23 season. Before that, goalie Cam Talbot held the number for Edmonton.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 31, 2024
Savoie will be switching up gears a tiny bit with his jersey number. He wore the #93 sweater in junior hockey and brought that to the NHL with the Sabres. With that number off-limits due to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wearing it for the Oilers, the 20-year-old Savoie has opted to go with #22.
He will be the 14th player to wear that number for the Oilers and the first since defenceman Tyson Barrie did so from 2021 to 2023.
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 31, 2024
Those were the three headliners that had their numbers revealed, but the Oilers also included a few of their other depth additions.
Defenceman Josh Brown will become the ninth player in Oilers history to wear #44 and the first since Jason Demers. Connor Carrick nabs the #58 sweater, only worn by five other Oilers with the latest being Dmitri Samorukov.
Goaltender Collin Delia will take over for Calvin Pickard in the AHL this upcoming season and will do so wearing #60. Only two other Oilers have worn that jersey with Markus Granlund being the most recent.
Lastly, prospect Roby Jarventie will don the #61 jersey and could be the first-ever Oilers player to appear in an NHL game with that number.