Throughout the summer and into the fall, we’ll be counting down the days until the Edmonton Oilers begin their 2023-24 season with a daily trip down memory lane. Today at No. 45 we have Ales Pisa, a defenceman moved during a busy trade deadline day for the team in 2003.

The Oilers selected Pisa in the ninth round of the 2001 draft from HC Pardubice in the Czech Republic, the same club that Ales Hemsky, the team’s first-round pick in that same draft, played for before coming overseas to play in the QMJHL.

As a 25-year-old with multiple years at the professional level in Europe, Pisa appeared in a couple of games with the Oilers during the 2001-02 season. He spent most of his first year in North America playing for the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL and scored 18 points over 52 games.

In 2002-03, Pisa started the season with the Bulldogs but was called up to the Oilers in November and became a regular on the team’s blueline. At that season’s trade deadline, Pisa was moved along with Anson Carter to the New York Rangers for Radek Dvorak and Cory Cross. The Oilers also moved defenceman Janne Niinimaa to the New York Islanders in exchange for Brad Isbister and Raffi Torres.