The orange is gone. Well, mostly. If you’ve stepped into Rogers Place lately or flipped on a Sportsnet broadcast during a Saturday night home game, you’ve seen it: that deep, almost bottomless navy blue paired with a neon orange that looks like it belongs on a Tron poster. It’s the current Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey, and honestly, it’s a bit of a miracle it even exists considering how much this franchise loves to look backward.
Hockey fans are traditionalists. We like our original six sweaters, our lace-up collars, and our history. But Edmonton is a weird case. They have arguably the most iconic "classic" jersey in the sport—the royal blue and orange that Gretzky and Messier wore while lifting five cups in seven years. You don't mess with that. Yet, the team spent years wandering through a desert of design choices, from the "oil drop" gear-cog era to that weird period where they tried to make pinstripes happen. This current alternate, often called the "Navy Alt," represents something different. It’s the first time the team has successfully embraced a modern aesthetic without it feeling like a cheap gimmick.
The Secret History of the Navy Blue Shift
You have to look at the 2019-20 season to understand where this specific Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey came from. Before this, the team was leaning hard into a bright, almost fluorescent orange as their primary home color. It was loud. Some fans loved it; others said it looked like a literal traffic cone on ice. The navy blue alternate was introduced as a "third" option, a palate cleanser for the eyes.
It was designed by Adidas, and the goal was stripped-down simplicity. No white. That’s the detail people miss. Look closely at the crest or the numbers. There isn't a single stitch of white thread on the exterior of that jersey. It’s just Navy and "Electric Orange." This creates a high-contrast look that pops under modern LED arena lighting in a way that the vintage royal blues just can't match. It feels aggressive. When Leon Draisaitl is leaning into a one-timer from the "office" while wearing this kit, he looks like a villain in a way that the friendly 1980s colors don't allow.
The logo itself underwent a "stealth" transformation for this jersey. They removed the white background behind the oil drop and the "Oilers" text, leaving just the orange ring and the navy center. It’s a minimalist approach that mirrors what we’ve seen in NBA branding over the last decade. It’s clean. It’s sleek. It’s basically the hockey equivalent of an all-black suit.
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Why Fans Keep Buying the Navy Alt Despite the Heritage Classic
Edmonton has a lot of jerseys. Between the standard homes, the roads, the occasional Reverse Retro, and the special event sweaters like the 2023 Heritage Classic (that gorgeous vintage beige and brown look), you'd think the market would be oversaturated. But the navy Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey remains a top seller at the Oilers Hall of Fame store. Why?
It’s about "wearability." Let’s be real: wearing a bright royal blue and orange jersey to a grocery store makes you look like you're lost on the way to a birthday party. The navy alternate, however, functions like regular clothing. It’s dark. It goes with jeans. It doesn't scream "I am a sports fan" from three blocks away, yet it’s instantly recognizable to anyone who knows the game.
The Connor McDavid Effect
Everything in Edmonton starts and ends with number 97. When McDavid has a massive night—like his historic climb toward 1,000 career points—the jersey he’s wearing becomes part of the iconography. The navy alternate has been the backdrop for some of his most "video game" highlights. There is a psychological link now between that dark blue fabric and the sheer speed of the current era. It represents the "McDavid Era" specifically, whereas the royal blue will always belong to Gretzky.
There's also the "midnight" factor. Fans often call these the "Midnight Navy" jerseys. They have a certain gravity to them. When the Oilers made their incredible run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 2024, the city was a sea of orange, but the navy jerseys were the choice for the fans who wanted to look a bit more "playoff serious."
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Common Misconceptions About the Third Jersey
One thing people get wrong is the "bad luck" myth. For a while, there was a running joke on Edmonton sports radio that the Oilers couldn't win in their alternates. The stats didn't really back it up, but fans are superstitious. If they lost two games in a row while wearing the navy, people wanted them burned.
Actually, the win percentage in the navy jerseys has stabilized to be almost identical to their standard home kit. Another misconception is that this jersey was meant to replace the orange homes. It wasn't. It was always intended to be a "Friday/Saturday night" special. NHL rules regarding third jerseys are actually pretty strict; teams have to commit to wearing them for a set number of games (usually around 10-15) and they have to keep the design for at least three seasons. The navy alt has far outlasted that three-year minimum, proving it has genuine staying power rather than being a flash-in-the-pan marketing "cash grab."
Comparing the Navy Alt to the "MacFarlane" Gear
If you’re a long-time fan, you remember the 2001 alternate jersey designed by comic book artist Todd MacFarlane. It featured a silver gear with a flying oil drop. It was... polarizing. Some people think it’s the greatest thing ever; others think it belongs in a bargain bin at a 2000s rave.
The current Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey succeeds where the MacFarlane jersey struggled because it respects the primary logo. The MacFarlane jersey tried to reinvent the wheel. The navy alt just changes the lighting. It keeps the circular "Oilers" crest that has existed since the WHA days but gives it a modern, nocturnal coat of paint. It's the difference between a total reboot and a really good remix.
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What to Look for When Buying an Authentic
If you're looking to pick one of these up, you need to be careful. The market is flooded with "knock-offs" that get the orange completely wrong. On a real Adidas or Fanatics "Premium" navy alternate, the orange shouldn't look like a standard pumpkin color. It should almost look like it’s glowing—it’s a specific "Neon Orange" or "Flash Orange" hue.
- The Crest: On the authentic Pro version, the crest is stiff and textured. If it feels like a thin plastic sticker, stay away.
- The Shoulders: This jersey doesn't have shoulder patches. That’s a key design choice. If you see one with the "Hunter the Lynx" mascot or an Alberta flag on the shoulder, it’s a fake.
- The Stitching: Because there is no white, the stitching on the numbers should be a direct navy-on-orange or orange-on-navy.
The Future of the Oilers Look
With the NHL's transition from Adidas to Fanatics for on-ice apparel, many wondered if the Edmonton Oilers alternate jersey would be retired. Thankfully, it’s staying. The design is too popular to kill off. In fact, we might see minor tweaks in the fabric weight, but the "Navy-Noir" aesthetic is now a permanent pillar of the Oilers' brand identity.
It’s rare for a team with such a rich history to find a new "classic," but they’ve done it. This jersey bridges the gap between the old-school "City of Champions" grit and the high-speed, tech-forward reality of the modern NHL. It’s a jersey for a team that is no longer content just reminiscing about the 80s; it’s a jersey for a team trying to win right now.
Actionable Insights for Oilers Fans
If you are planning to add the navy alternate to your collection, focus on the "Primegreen" versions if you can still find them, as the recycled materials hold the neon pigment better over multiple washes. For those attending a game at Rogers Place, the navy jersey is officially designated as the "weekend" look, though the team occasionally breaks this rule for high-profile divisional matchups. When cleaning, always flip it inside out—the neon orange dye used in the numbering is more susceptible to fading from agitation than the standard royal blue. Finally, if you're stuck between sizing, the navy alternates tend to fit slightly slimmer than the white road jerseys due to the way the side panels are constructed without the extra white piping. Keep it simple, keep it dark, and let the orange do the talking.