Chris Joseph’s path to the Oilers was part of a blockbuster trade that sent Hall of Famer Paul Coffey to Pittsburgh in 1987. Coming back to Edmonton with Joseph were Dave Hannan, Moe Mantha, and Craig Simpson, while Wayne Van Dorp and Dave Hunter also headed to the Penguins. Joseph spent parts of seven seasons with the Oilers, playing 154 games and contributing 12 goals and 51 points along the way.

After hanging up his skates, Joseph dedicated himself to coaching, mentoring young players across Alberta and British Columbia. He later became a firefighter in Edmonton, continuing his commitment to service and community. His resilience was tested in 2018 when his son, Jaxon, was tragically lost in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. In response, Joseph became an advocate for improved road safety, working tirelessly to ensure better training standards for truck drivers in Alberta and Saskatchewan. His efforts earned him the Ace Bailey Award of Courage in 2019, recognizing his determination to turn personal tragedy into meaningful change.

As for the jersey, this one was a lucky eBay find—over 35 years old and still in great shape. There’s some wear, a few repairs, but nothing too dramatic. Early ‘90s jerseys don’t always have a ton of photo matches, especially with Getty’s limited archive from that era, but it was fun revisiting those old Pro Set, Score, and Upper Deck cards from my childhood while trying to track one down. A nostalgic hunt for a great piece of Oilers history.

The “Fat Drop” Era

Ah, the infamous “Fat Drop” jersey. If you’re diving into this, you’re officially in the deep, slightly obsessive corner of Oilers jersey collecting.

At a glance, it looks like a standard vintage Oilers sweater. But once you know what to look for, it’s hard to unsee. The nickname comes from the oil drop in the center crest, which during this short window took on a noticeably wider, heavier shape. Instead of the clean, tapered teardrop from the classic ‘80s sets, this version looks a bit… compressed. The top often appears slightly flattened or blunted, like the template shifted just enough to throw everything off.

This wasn’t a design choice so much as a production hiccup.

The late ‘80s into the early ‘90s was a messy transition period. The Oilers moved away from their Nike jerseys as the decade closed and shifted to CCM, with plans for the newer Air-Knit construction getting delayed. What followed was a bit of overlap—different materials, different cresting processes, and just enough inconsistency to create this short-lived variation.

There are a couple of ways to spot where a jersey falls within that window. Early versions from the 1989–90 season were made with a heavier mesh and feature the larger block CCM logo on the back hem without an NHL shield. Later that same season, the team switched to Air-Knit, and the NHL shield starts appearing alongside the CCM branding. The “Fat Drop” crest shows up across both, tying the whole stretch together.

For collectors, that’s where the appeal lives.

These jerseys were only worn for a couple of seasons, right at the tail end of the dynasty years. It’s the same style the Oilers wore during their 1990 Stanley Cup run, which gives it just enough historical weight without being overly polished. It’s imperfect, a little inconsistent, and very much a product of its time.

Which makes it a perfect fit for a jersey like this. Not the flashiest piece in the collection, but one that rewards a closer look—the kind of detail that only really matters once you’ve spent far too long comparing oil drops across eras.