The Edmonton Oilers re-signed pending unrestricted free agent Trent Frederic to an eight-year contract extension with a $3.85 million cap hit. The Oilers acquired Frederic and Max Jones ahead of the 2025 Trade Deadline from the Boston Bruins in exchange for a 2025 second-round pick, a 2026 fourth-round pick, and defenceman Max Wanner. Edmonton also sent forward prospect Shane LaChance to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for 50 percent salary retention on Frederic’s cap hit.
FREDDY‼️
The #Oilers have signed forward Trent Frederic to an eight-year contract extension with an average annual value of $3.85 million.#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/HO1afzlRsR
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 27, 2025
Upon arrival in Edmonton, Frederic was recovering from a high-ankle sprain that kept him sidelined for months, even before the trade. As a result, the former Bruin only played seven minutes with his new team during the regular season. He played 22 playoff games, recording one goal and four points. The 6-foot-3, 221-pounder wasn’t effective during the postseason and was playing injured. Despite that, the Oilers offered him a contract extension, which comes with some positives and negatives. Here are three pros and three cons to his new deal.
Pro #1: Frederic’s Age
One of the Oilers’ main priorities is to get younger, and this signing helps. Frederic is only 27 years old and is entering the prime of his career. General manager Stan Bowman recently traded 33-year-old power forward Evander Kane to the Vancouver Canucks. Frederic plays a similar style, but is cheaper, and seven years younger, making Kane expendable. The Oilers want to get younger, and this is a good start.
Con #1: Too Much Term
The biggest concern with this signing is the term. Eight years for a middle-to-bottom six-player is too much. Usually, longer-term deals are used to bring the cap hit down, but that wasn’t the case. The cap hit was higher than expected, despite getting maximum term.
Related: Oilers Sign Trent Frederic to 8-Year Extension
Physical power forwards typically don’t age well, so how effective will he be during years five to eight of this deal? The Oilers made that mistake with Milan Lucic in 2016 when they signed him to a seven-year deal with a $6 million annual cap hit. At the time of that signing, Lucic was 28 years old, only a year older than Frederic. While his cap hit was higher, their play styles are similar. Lucic was traded three years into his deal because he was unproductive, and it wasn’t working in Edmonton. That’s the risk you take signing these power forwards to long-term contracts.
A more recent example is Pierre Engvall on the New York Islanders, who signed a seven-year deal with a $3 million annual cap hit. He’s heading into year three of that deal and only has 18 goals in 136 games since inking that extension. Long-term contracts should be reserved for elite players, since these middling players rarely live up to these contracts and expectations.
Pro #2: Frederic’s Versatility
Frederic’s versatility is a valuable asset. He can play centre or the wing, and can move up and down the lineup. He can play on the third line or get elevated alongside Leon Draisaitl on the second line. Since coming to Edmonton, he hasn’t killed penalties, but he has in the past. If the Oilers lose Connor Brown to free agency, Frederic might need to fill that penalty-killing role. Additionally, he possesses offensive upside, complemented by his physicality. If he can score 15 to 20 goals, kill penalties, be physical, and inject energy into the lineup, this is a good deal.
Con #2: Injury Concerns?
The biggest question is which Frederic will we see come training camp. If it’s the one we saw with the Oilers throughout the playoffs, this is a brutal deal. But if it’s the one we saw the last two seasons with the Bruins, this has the potential to be a good signing. He had 17 goals in the 2022-23 season and 18 goals in the 2023-24 season. More importantly, he only missed three regular-season games combined during those two seasons. That’s the production and durability Edmonton expects from him.
He was held to just 58 regular-season games during the 2024-25 season because of the high-ankle sprain he sustained in February. Even before the injury, he had just eight goals and 15 points. If he’s fully healthy, he’s an effective and impactful player, but that’s the risk. Therefore, this signing is a gamble.
Pro #3: The Rising Salary Cap
While his $3.85 million annual cap hit looks steep now, in three years it won’t be. The average third-liner will probably be making north of $4 million in a few seasons, making this Frederic deal more reasonable. Players will demand more money as the cap continues to rise. It’s important to project what the player will be worth in a few years when signing long-term contracts, so hopefully the deal becomes a bargain down the road, even if that means overpaying now. Time will tell if Edmonton got a good deal, but the rising salary cap will only benefit the Oilers in this situation.
Con #3: Frederic Has Trade Protection
The Oilers continue to hand out no-movement clauses like candy on Halloween. Contract negotiations should be give-and-take. Frederic got the term he was seeking, so why was a no-movement clause necessary? He has a full no-movement clause for the first four seasons, and it turns into a modified no-trade clause in year five. If this deal doesn’t work out, Edmonton puts itself in a tough spot trying to move him. The only forwards without trade protection are Vasily Podkolzin, Max Jones, and David Tomasek, which makes trading players extremely difficult. This limits their flexibility down the road, and that’s an issue.
There are some pros and cons to this signing, but overall, is this a good deal for Edmonton? Keep following The Hockey Writers throughout the offseason.
