The Oilers had to make a move to accommodate Perry's league minimum salary being added, but it was expected that the team would instead just send down Philip Kemp, who is exempt from waivers, rather than risk losing forward depth in Erne.
At the same time, the Oilers likely aren't worried about losing Erne on waivers - and gaining the extra contract slot may actually help the team if someone claims him. Erne was signed this offseason by the Oilers to a one year league minimum deal, and hasn't provided much of anything with one goal and one assist in 23 games on the fourth line. By waiving Erne, the Oilers may be looking to cut bait, but also clearly show that they'd rather carry a seventh defenceman rather than an extra forward now. Still, it's a surprising decision from the Oilers front office, going against what was expected by most analysts.
Adding Perry to the team almost entirely slots the Oilers bottom six down a peg, making the entire team stronger. With his scoring touch, agitator role, and playoff experience, Perry will bring a lot to the Edmonton Oilers, and hopefully help lead them to a successful playoff run.
