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Edmonton Oilers have an out on Trent Frederic contract
Photo credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Whether or not Oilers' forward Trent Frederic can regain his form, one thing is certain: Edmonton is stuck with potentially the worst contract in the NHL until 2033.
Forward's deal hurts Oilers' salary cap
The Edmonton Oilers' options with forward Trent Frederic, given his poor performance this year, are limited and revolve around trying to help him regain his previous form, managing his playing time, or removing him from the active roster altogether.
Oilers' coaching staff, led by Kris Knoblauch, has already implemented drastic resets by making Frederic a healthy scratch in some games and significantly reducing his ice time in others to motivate him.
This strategy, however, has proven ineffective, as Trent continues to be a non-factor when he plays, both offensively and as a physical presence, which the Oilers' hoped he would provide when they signed him to an 8-year contract.
Given his current performance and an eight-year, $3.85M AAV, a trade could be a last resort. Of course, not only would he have to agree because of a full no-movement clause, but Stan Bowman would have to convince another team to take him off their hands.
Both would prove extremely difficult.
If the Oilers' could convince the league that Frederic is not healthy and that he requires further rehab for the high-ankle sprain he suffered in Boston February of 2025, perhaps the LTIR would then be be the best option for the team.
His play certainly suggests that he is not 100%, and the team can definitely use the almost $4M to bolster its playoff roster in a must-win year, one in which McDavid is making a statement with his inspired play.
It would be a shame to waste the kind of effort that is rarely witnessed from one generation to the next.