With two days of 2024 NHL free agency in the books, the Edmonton Oilers remain one of the teams to make a bigger splash. With four new additions and several players re-signing, the Oilers look like an even stronger Stanley Cup contender than they were last year. Despite not having a lot of cap room to maneuver, the Oilers managed to keep all but two players during the free agency frenzy.
Let’s take a look at the deals the Oilers as free agency kicked off.
The Oilers Retained Key Pieces to Last Season’s Roster
CEO Jeff Jackson was able to re-sign some crucial components to last season’s Stanley Cup Finals run. The penalty-killing tandem of Connor Brown and Mattias Janmark both got well-deserved contract extensions. Brown inked a one-year contract worth $1 million. Janmark, on the other hand, received a three-year deal worth $1.45 million a year. Adam Henrique turned down a higher-paying contract to stay with the team, signing a two-year deal with a $3 million AAV.
Others who re-upped were Corey Perry, Calvin Pickard, and Troy Stecher. Perry, after a controversial departure from the Chicago Blackhawks, joined the Oilers midway through the season. He extends his tenure with the Oilers by signing a one-year deal worth $1.4 million. Pickard signs a two-year deal $1 million AAV deal. That’s a great price for a netminder who showed himself to be a solid backup. The final trade deadline deal was Troy Stecher coming to Edmonton. He inked a new one-year contract worth $787,500 a year.
Some New Faces Join the Edmonton Oilers
Alongside the UFA signees are some new additions to the Oilers lineup. The most notable new faces are Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson. Both players represent significant roster upgrades and fill out the team’s top six nicely.
Skinner, a longtime veteran of the league, signs a one-year deal worth $3 million. Arvidsson — who gave the Oilers fits in their series versus the Los Angeles Kings — joins the Oilers on a two-year deal worth $4 million a year.
Some minor signings included Josh Brown, a prior member of the Arizona Coyotes. He joins the Oilers organization on a three-year deal averaging $1 million AAV. Goaltender Collin Delia signs a one-year, two-way contract worth $775K. Finally, Connor Carrick signed a one-year contract worth $775K. He has 242 NHL games under his belt.
The Losses In Free Agency
The Oilers lost a couple of pieces to other teams. After 231 games in blue and orange, Warren Foegele leaves Oil Country. He signed a three-year deal worth $3.5 million with the LA Kings. Up-and-coming Oilers defenseman Vincent Desharnas also left. Looking to cash in on a strong season and regular NHL duty for the first time in his career, he was offered a two-year deal worth $2 million per season by the Vancouver Canucks.
It was quite the day for the Oilers. The new faces will help the team and bring different attributes. Familiar faces will stick around and help the team contend again. The mindset going into free agency was to retain as many players as possible. It worked out quite well for Jackson, who many are hoping just stays the GM and doesn’t bother hiring someone else.
