The 2023–24 Oilers season didn’t start with a bang—it started with a bruise. After a summer spent digesting another playoff loss to the eventual Cup winners (again), expectations were sky-high. This was supposed to be the year. Instead, October felt endless. A 3–9–1 record, a coach fired in California, and the league’s most top-heavy roster suddenly sinking under its own weight.

Jay Woodcroft, who left with one of the best coaching records in franchise history, was out after a now-infamous November 9 loss to the last-place Sharks—a low point by any measure. The season teetered.

Enter Kris Knoblauch from the AHL, a coach most Oilers fans couldn’t have picked out of a lineup. But somehow, it worked. The team stabilized. Then surged. By the end of the season, they looked like the group everyone had believed in—just with a few more scars.

And through all the highs and lows? Leon Draisaitl was a constant. 41 goals, 65 assists, and the usual dose of quiet brilliance. While the spotlight tends to find McDavid, Draisaitl remains the Oilers’ other engine—calm, clinical, and ridiculously productive. In his contract year, at a still-ludicrous $8.5 million, he gave them everything. Again.

The Jersey

This is a royal blue 2023–24 Set 1 home jersey, worn early in the season—when the skies were a little grayer and the questions louder. Draisaitl typically alternated between two jerseys per set: one with the alternate captain’s “A” and one without. This is the “no A” version, likely seeing action during the games where he rotated out of that role for 25 or 93. These tend to be worn a little less, but not without meaning.

This particular jersey saw the ice in three games, all in October 2023—during that turbulent early stretch when the season was still trying to find its identity:

  • October 14 vs. Vancouver – 1 goal, 1 assist in a 4–3 loss
  • October 21 vs. Winnipeg – 2 assists in a 3–2 loss
  • December 10 vs. New Jersey – 1 assist in a 4–1 win

So while the team results were mixed, the jersey itself had no trouble getting on the scoresheet. Four assists and a goal across three games is classic Draisaitl efficiency—no wasted shifts.


Game-Worn Jersey
Edmonton Oilers
2023/2024 NHL Season
Pre Season Set & Royal Blue Set #1 – B0090
Adidas Primegreen
Made In Canada – Size 56

Signs of Wear

The standout detail of wear is a small hole next to the “9” on the right arm, visible as early as the October 14 game in Vancouver—caught during the national anthem, no less. That same mark can be seen in photos from all three regular season games, suggesting it was already present before the jersey’s first confirmed game use.

It’s likely this jersey also saw pre-season action, which would explain the early presence of the damage. While not heavily worn, the consistency of that one flaw across multiple games provides a clear, traceable thread—and gives the jersey that bit of authentic, lived-in character that makes pieces like this stand out in a collection.