Wildcard player added to roster for full 2025-26 season is the missing link to Oilers' lineup

"I think it's the perfect type of player for them [Edmonton]. I think that's a really good deal," Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman said on The Hockey Show. 'It's the kind of piece you need. Edmonton is really limited in terms of what they can do. I like it for the Oilers."

Frederic signed an 8-year deal with a $3.850M cap hit, which many fans questioned at the time. Trent was used in last year's playoffs, but was injured and couldn't play as he would have liked.

On TSN Toronto 1050 Radio today, Trent Frederic was asked about his injury.

This comes as great news for the Oilers, who can utilize the big, power forward the way they had intended. The 6'2", 203lbs forward brings the most value in situations when games get aggressive and physical.

Frederic doesn't back away from going into the trenches and can drop the gloves when needed. He's hard to play against and has been credited with 153 hits the last year he was healthy. The only other Oilers forward with more than 100 hits is Vasily Podkolzin with 133, and Darnell Nurse with 110.

Frederic's physical element and energetic approach should open up more space for the Oilers' skill players and wear down their opponents more frequently.

Frederic scored 18G and 22A in 2023-24 with the Bruins. He averaged just shy of 14:00 TOI in Boston, with the majority of his shifts 5v5 and on the PK. Frederic moves well and has the ability to create turnovers.

Trent's game is tailor-made for the playoffs, where his size and aggressive style become an asset when time and space are limited.