Edmonton Oilers reveal new blue collar-themed postgame awards
The Edmonton Oilers are shaking up their postgame traditions this season, drawing inspiration from blue-collar workers in the city.
Last season, the Oilers awarded select players with a WWE-style championship belt and an oilfield-esque hard hat after victories. The belt was given to the team’s best offensive player after a win, while the hard hat represented the hardest-working player.
The season before that, the Oilers appointed players to the roles of painter and plumber, which carried similar meanings and came with props.
Now, it appears Edmonton is changing up the awards for this new season. Head coach Kris Knoblauch has been presenting players with a piece of a pump jack and a high-vis vest after each win.
The first players to get the awards were Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Darnell Nurse after the Oilers secured their first win of the season against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
Goodnight, Oil Country 🔧🦺
🔧 ➡️ Best exemplifying #Oilers style of play
🦺 ➡️ Toughest or hardest-working performance#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/9wKNvv8A02
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 12, 2025
The vest representing the hardest working player in a win is nothing new, as previous postgame awards have also done the same, but the pump jack represents a bit of a different quality than recent years.
If the Oilers were following tradition, the pump jack would go to the best offensive performer, but it doesn’t. Instead, it will be awarded to the player who best exemplifies Edmonton’s style of play.
That opens it up to award players for a variety of different reasons. For example, an Oilers Plus clip after that win against the Canucks showed why Knoblauch chose RNH to be the very first recipient.
“It pulls oil out of the ground. The thing about this award is somebody made something happen, pulled something together,” Knoblauch said in the dressing room. “Nuge out-battles his guy, sets up Mange for the goal, this one is going to Nuge.”
Stuart Skinner and Mattias Ekholm were the latest participants in the new postgame tradition, following a 2-0 victory over the New York Rangers.
Oilers fans will be hoping to see a lot of these types of photos after games this season and heading into the playoffs.