The Edmonton Oilers announced on Wednesday evening which numbers all seven of their free agent signings will be donning when they suit up for the Blue and Orange.
New #Oilers 🟰 new digits 🔢
A thread 🧵 pic.twitter.com/H4WXMHFEMa
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 31, 2024
Out of the seven new arrivals, Jeff Skinner (#53), Viktor Arvidsson (#33), and Collin Delia (#60) kept the numbers they used with their previous teams. As for the other four, they have varying reasons for changing their numbers upon arriving in Edmonton.
Connor Carrick has worn #58 two times in his career, for three seasons with the Capitals and a year in Boston. He has only had jerseys that include the numbers five or eight throughout his career so it is safe to assume those are his lucky numbers. Carrick’s last stint in the NHL saw him don the #8 while this past season in the AHL with Coachella, he wore #58.
Matt Savoie originally had the #93 throughout his junior career and during his time in the Sabres organization, but he had to switch to #22 with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins holding onto Savoie’s original number. It won’t be the first time he has used #22 as he previously wore it while playing in the USHL as a member of the Dubuque Fighting Saints during the 2020-21 campaign.
Josh Brown will be taking #44 due to his #3 that he wore for two seasons with the Coyotes being held by Cody Ceci. This will be the second time in his NHL wearing #44 as he used it during his six-game stint with the Bruins during the 2021-22 season, so it’s safe to assume Brown will be getting into a lot more games with that number this time around.
As for Roby Jarventie, it is unclear why he has opted to go with #61 given that the #52 he wore while a member of the Senators is available. Although it is worth mentioning that he will be the first Oiler ever to wear the #61 should he get into a game this season so perhaps he wants to become the answer to a niche trivia question down the line.
Jarventie is not the only new arrival to already make his mark on his new team as Skinner will become the first player in franchise history to wear #53. Meanwhile, Delia would be only the third player ever to wear #60 should he appear in an NHL game and the first since Oilers legend Markus Granlund. Carrick would also be just the sixth Oiler in team history to use #58 and the first since Dmitri Samorukov wore it during the 2021-22 campaign.
