With the NHL offseason downshifting from a raging storm of player movement into the calm waters of the deep summer, most of the league has set the stage for the start of next season. There are still matters to attend to, for example the Edmonton Oilers signing RFAs Evan Bouchard and Ryan McLeod, but these transactions will be at their slowest pace until the league at large ramps up towards training camp.
With that said, Oilers GM Ken Holland has admitted that the team might still be on the lookout for another player, a fourth line centre most specifically. With the door open for the Oilers making another signing, albeit for a marginal salary, and some unexpected players still on the market, there is still room for fans across Oil Country to dream, as well as a chance that the Oilers see things the same way.
With that in mind we asked our readers, which former Oilers UFA would you most want to re-sign?
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Alex Chiasson
An Oiler from the 2018–19 season to the 2020–21 season, Alex Chiasson delivered hallmark performances in Edmonton, a feat well appreciated in our poll. Although it was and would be ambitious to entrust Chiasson with anything more than bottom-six forward minutes at even strength, Chiasson is still a valuable net front scorer to this day. In particular, this gives Chiasson utility as a net front scorer on the power play, something he did quite well during his time as an Oiler, leading to a career high of 22 goals in 2018–19.
In the two seasons since leaving the Oilers, Chiasson has posted 13 goals in 67 games with the Vancouver Canucks in 2021–22, as well as six goals in 20 games with the Detroit Red Wings in 2022–23. Chiasson did spend 29 games in the AHL last season, meaning that he might be on his way out of the NHL, but was still quite effective on the power play, with five of his six goals coming on the man advantage.
Chiasson clearly fits the bill as a low cost player, but is not a centre as the Oilers would seem to prefer. If signed he would be expected to be a fourth line scorer, akin to how Klim Kostin was deployed by the Oilers last season, receiving some time alongside Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers do have the young Raphael Lavoie vying to fill this role, meaning a Chiasson signing might suggest the Oilers are unconvinced that Lavoie is ready to take the step up to the NHL.
Of all the players on our poll, Chiasson’s NHL future might be most in question. It might be most likely that Chiasson is given a training camp tryout, or PTO, instead of contract, given he spent more time in the AHL than he did the NHL last season. With a fairly one-dimensional game at this point, Chiasson might still distinguish himself amongst other free agents thanks to his specialisation.
Jesse Puljujarvi
The case for the Oilers re-signing Jesse Puljujarvi is a curious one, as the winger’s status is as unclear as ever. Puljujarvi is slated to have offseason double hip surgery once again, as much of his career has been hampered by hip issues. Puljujarvi had a double hip surgery in 2018–19, and quite frankly it might be fair to question how much this continued to be an issue for Puljujarvi since then.
Puljujarvi’s time with the Oilers was contentious, with the winger bearing huge expectations as the fourth-overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, his trade request, his return to Finland, alongside his injuries leading to a near constant unrest between player and team.
Despite this, Puljujarvi always had his supporters in Oil Country, shown by his finishing second in our poll. If Puljujarvi can get healthy, he can be a strong middle-six forward, providing strong forechecking and transition defence. If his often visibly hampered agility can be improved by health, so too might Puljujarvi’s scoring touch. Although a reality as a top line scorer might be out of reach, Puljujarvi’s best seasons might still be ahead of him.
Given that his relationship with the Oilers was so tenuous it might be strange to imagine the winger finding his way back onto the team. However, with Puljujarvi’s long injury recovery, and uncertain value league-wide, a reunion might be in his best interests. Perhaps, a low cost, prove-it deal with the Oilers would give Puljujarvi the platform to rehabilitate his perceived value.
While he might not be ready to start the season, Puljujarvi would be an upgrade to the Oilers forward group. He might be battling the likes of Connor Brown and Dylan Holloway for minutes in the Oilers middle-six forwards. Both Brown and Holloway might have some time to audition in such roles before Puljujarvi is at full health, acting, perhaps, as a substitute if either is leaving something to be desired.
Ethan Bear
Leading our poll by a wide margin is former Oilers fan favourite Ethan Bear. Bear broke into the league as Darnell Nurse’s partner, with the duo eventually taking claim to being the Oilers top pairing in 2019–20. After the 2020–21 season, Bear was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Warren Foegele. Bear spent a season with the Hurricanes before spending last season with the Vancouver Canucks.
Complicating matters in the offseason, Bear had shoulder surgery while playing for Team Canada at the 2023 IIHF World Championships, an injury with a six-month recovery. Bear played well for the Canucks, and should get another NHL contract at some point, though his injury likely won’t help. Like Puljujarvi, Bear might be forced to take a one-year deal to re-establish himself, especially given the limited increase of the salary cap.
The Oilers already have something of a logjam on the blueline, with a rotation of seven capable defencemen already fighting for icetime. Still, given the inevitability of injuries and the importance of blueline depth, Oilers fans are clearly keen on the idea of re-acquiring Bear’s services.
Like Puljujarvi, Bear might not be back until mid-season, at which point he could make an interesting substitute for injury or poor play. Bear’s game does have a degree of rugged physicality and defensive awareness to it, but he profiles more as transition passer and less as a defensive specialist than fellow right shots Cody Ceci and Vincent Desharnais are, making him something of a different stylistic option behind Bouchard on the right side.
Oilers fans clearly recognize his talent, as Bear earned more than half of the votes in this poll. Signing a contract might be a situation to monitor beyond the start of the NHL season, even, as Bear recovers from injury. Over this time, teams around the NHL might have glaring holes open, lacking the ever coveted right shot defenceman, from injury or otherwise. It’s quite difficult to imagine that Bear won’t be in the NHL at some point in 2023–24.
Derick Brassard
An Oiler, both briefly and recently, during the 2021–22 season, Brassard scored three points in 15 games after being acquired by the Oilers near the trade deadline that season. Brassard, as is the theme with this list, ended last season on the IR with a fractured fibula as a member of the Ottawa Senators (for the second time.)
Despite a short time in Edmonton, Brassard made enough of an impact to receive a substantial number of votes in our poll. This might be aided by the fact that Brassard seems to fit the Oilers expressed desires for a fourth line centre.
Brassard fits the bill, though anything more than fourth line minutes is likely too ambitious an expectation for the veteran centre. Brassard is still quite useful, now into his mid 30s, and still has a power play presence as well. Though, like Chiasson, the slim scraps of the second power play are likely not enough of a factor for the Oilers.
On the Oilers, Brassard might fit nicely on a line with Mattias Janmark, as the two players bring fairly different elements to the ice. Brassard’s offence might be a boon to Lavoie, who should have at least one other linemate with offensive skills. Brassard’s game might have more of an offensive lean than most would want from this Oilers hypothetical fourth line centre. However, Brassard has some defensive utility as well, having gone at least 50% in faceoffs in each of the past three seasons, and a less common right shot as well, opposite Ryan McLeod.
Brassard has bounced around the league quite a bit over his late career, meaning that despite some success with the Senators, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him on the move again. At this point, we’ll have to wait and see if an NHL team decides to give Brassard a contract or a tryout offer, but he should still be able to provide some stability on a fourth line.
Write in candidate: Sam Gagner
An Oilers draft pick in 2007, Sam Gagner has already been an Oilers twice over, most recently playing with the team in 2018–19 and 2019–20. Given his long tenure with the team, it is not exactly a surprise to see some goodwill for Gagner from the Oilers fan base.
Gagner spent last season with the Winnipeg Jets, scoring 14 points in 48 games. Many Oiler fans will be familiar with Gagner style of play, which does bear some resemblance to Brassard’s game at this point, as Gagner is a right shot depth forward with some offensive utility. That being said, Gagner is not nearly as adept at faceoffs as Brassard is, meaning Gagner is more of a fourth line winger than he is a centre, having last gone above 50% in 2018–19 as a member of the Oilers.
Nevertheless, a Gagner signing might make sense for the Oilers under certain circumstances. No doubt many fans would be happy for his return, even as a depth piece.
Write in candidate: None of the above
The other popular write in candidate was to add none of the listed players. There could be a number of reasons for fans to be thinking along these lines.
First, the Oilers are already a fairly full roster, close to the cap with RFAs still left unsigned, as well as having several notable competitions throughout the lineup. It could be that fans don’t believe the Oilers should be looking to add a lower impact depth piece. Perhaps even, fans might feel that a better option exists within the roster already.
The issue could be with what style of player a signing of this magnitude is allocated to. None of the aforementioned players fits the responsible, defensive, fourth line centre the Oilers seem to be in search of.
Finally, some fans might be more interested in looking to the future for new heights rather than feeling nostalgic about the past. In the offseason, where dreams have the time and space to fester and evolve, some fans might be dreaming of bigger and better options than unsigned veterans with injury statuses. There is sure to be a bitter taste in the mouths of some fans towards former players, and it is possible that many would rather turn the page on these former Oilers altogether.
While nostalgia itself is a grievance, and the visions of some former Oiler favourites fulfilling their destiny in bringing the Oilers to glory might stir hearts across Oil Country, the scoreboard does not reflect with sentimentality. However they think best, the Oilers will be on a mission to win the Stanley Cup, and the earnest pursuit of such is often the most a fan can ask for.
Photo by Curtis Comeau/Icon Sportswire
