Oilers recent UFA contract listed among worst deals this NHL offseason
Photo credit: https://i.markerzone.com/i/z.gif
While reports suggest that the dollar value of Trent Frederic's contract with the Edmonton Oilers is fair, several NHL Insiders claim that its term brings an element of risk to the team.
Trent Frederic was acquired from the Boston Bruins at this year's trade-deadline, and was on an expiring 2-year deal worth $4.6M. With the cap increasing in 2025-26 to $95.5M, it was expected that there would be a general raise in the AAV of new signings.
Trent Frederic contract named one of worst this NHL offseason
According to a recent report from Daily Faceoff, Frederic's deal ranked among the worst in the NHL this summer.
It's understandable why Frederic would want that. As this summer was his big chance at a payday, so he gets that money locked in with a team that will be a Stanley Cup contender for a good chunk of that deal. But for Edmonton, what benefit do they have from having a bottom-six forward stuck on their book for eight years?
- Daily Faceoff
- Daily Faceoff
Such was the case with Trent Frederic, who recently signed a contract with a $3.95M AAV and an 8-year term, that will see him through to the 2032-33 NHL season.
The 27-year old center will actually receive a $4.05M AAV in years 1-3, and then slightly less in years 4-8, a structure that involves little risk to the Oilers, with the cap expected to increase even further in 2026-27 and 2027-28. Money is not really the issue here.
The problem with the contract, several Insiders claim, is with the contract's 8-year term, which allows for a full no-movement clause in years 1-4, a 10-team NMC in years 5-6, and a 20-team NMC is years 7-8. For a 27-year old bottom-6 player, this can, in fact, be problematic, if Frederic's performance does not at the very least remain consistent - he would be 31 at the end of year 4.
"It's understandable why Frederic would want that [8 years]," writer Scott Maxwell said, "As this summer was a big chance at a pay day, so he gets the money locked-in...with a Stanley Cup Contender. But for Edmonton, what benefit do they have from a bottom-six forward stuck on their book for eight years?"
Trent Frederic's numbers are what you'd expect from a bottom-6 role player, whose best years were in 2022-23 and 2023-24, wherein he scored 17 goals and 31 points, and 18 goals and 40 points respectively. He played only 1 game in the 2024-25 regular season, and 22 games in the playoffs, recording 1 goals and 3 assists.
"Even in a rising salary cap world, was Frederic ever going to command a higher AAV down the road...than a series of one- or two-year deals in the same span?" Scott Maxwell continued. "If the Oilers realize he isn't a fit on their roster in a few years, they're stuck with him, unless they pay a premium or move his contract."
Though the Oilers paid market value for Frederic, the term of the contract can, in fact, be restrictive to his club, should he not play according to expectations. Paying $3.95M AAV until the age of 35 for a player that might not perform to standard is indeed risky.
Yet, GM Stan Bowman has placed considerable faith in Frederic, and expects that his skillset in a bottom-six role will help the Oilers to achieve their goals. Should the Oilers win the Stanley Cup in the next four years, then Frederic's contract details become increasingly less important.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 4 | 561 ANSWERS Oilers recent UFA contract listed among worst deals this NHL offseason Was Stan Bowman right in giving Trent Frederic an 8-year term, or should he have opted for incremental, 2-year deals? | ||
| 8-year contract | 138 | 24.6 % |
| 2 -year extensions | 423 | 75.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
