Oilers Sign Ryan Smyth to Two-Year Contract

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have re-signed right wing Ryan Smyth to a two-year contract worth $4.5 million.  The deal will average out to $2.25 million per season.  In all 82 games last season, he had 19 goals and 27 assistd for 46 points and 82 penalty minutes.  This is a solid move for the Oilers, as Smyth has always been an excellent player on the team.  He's a great playmaker, has good offensive skills, is an excellent leader on and off the ice, and plays with some grit.  He will continue to be an excellent forward for the Oilers over the next two years.

Oilers Sign Lennart Petrell to One-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have re-signed right wing Lennart Petrell to a one-year contract extension.  The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.  He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1.  In 60 games this past season with the Oilers, he had four goals and five assists for nine points.  He also appeared in nine games with Oklahoma City of the AHL, scoring two goals and two assists for four points.  Petrell has some defensive skill and lots of versatility, as he can play on both wings.  He doesn't have a lot of offensive upside, so look for him to play a bottom-six role in Edmonton next season.

Wild Acquire Tom Gilbert from Oilers for Nick Schultz

The Minnesota Wild have announced that they have acquired defenseman Tom Gilbert from the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Nick Schultz. Both players still have two years remaining on their current contracts. In 47 games so far this season, Gilbert has three goals and 14 assists for 17 points, while Schultz has one goal and two assists for three points in 62 games. This is a solid move for both teams, as it addresses needs on both of their bluelines. After trading Marek Zidlicky to the New Jersey Devils, the Wild were in need of a puck-moving defenseman with offensive talent and they got that in Gilbert. The Oilers were in need of a solid, veteran, shutdown defenseman and they got that in Schultz. He should also bring some grit to Edmonton's defensive corps, as well as some skill on the penalty kill. In the end, it's a good, solid trade for both teams.

Oilers Sign Ales Hemsky to Two-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers announced on Friday that they have re-signed right wing Ales Hemsky to a two-year contract extension worth $10 million. The deal will pay him $5 million per season. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer and had been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks. In 47 games so far this season, he has five goals and 21 assists for 26 points. He missed 11 games earlier in the season with a right shoulder injury. An interesting move by the Oilers, as it was expected Hemsky would probably be dealt by the February 27 Trade Deadline, so this should put an end all of his trade rumors for the time being. However, he brings outstanding offensive and playmaking skill to the team despite being an injury-prone player. The Oilers were wise to re-sign him to a short-term contract, as rising stars Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins will eligible for restricted free agency over the next couple of years and will likely earn long-term contract extensions.

Oilers Acquire Bryan Rodney from Ducks for Ryan O'Marra

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have acquired defenseman Bryan Rodney from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for center Ryan O'Marra. In 41 games with Syracuse of the AHL, Rodney had five goals and 15 assists for 20 points. He has yet to appear in an NHL game this season. O'Marra appeared in seven games with the Ducks, recording one assist. He also played in 40 games with Oklahoma City of the AHL, scoring eight goals and nine assists for 17 points. This is really just a depth move for both teams, as both players will more than likely finish the season in the minors.

Oilers Re-Sign Andy Sutton to One-Year Deal

The Edmonton Oilers announced on Monday that they have re-signed defenseman Andy Sutton to a one-year contract. The contract is believed to be worth $1.5 million. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer and there had been plenty of speculation over the last few weeks that he could have been traded by the February 27 Trade Deadline. In 33 games so far this season, he has three goals and six assists for nine points and 56 penalty minutes. He missed seven games this past November with a groin injury. He has also missed a combined total of 13 games this season as a result of two separate suspensions. Not a bad depth signing for the Oilers, as Sutton brings lots of size and toughness to the team's blueline. Look for him to play a fifth or sixth role on defense next season and will also likely serve as a protector to the young, rising Oilers' prospects.

Oilers Sign Corey Potter to Two-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have signed defenseman Corey Potter to a two-year contract extension. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 28 games this season, he has three goals and 12 assists for 15 points. A depth signing at best for the Oilers, but not a bad one, as Potter has been a reliable defenseman for the team all season. He has some mobility and good size, but more than likely he will play as a third-pairing defenseman for the team for the duration of his new deal.

Coyotes Claim Gilbert Brule Off Waivers from Oilers

The Phoenix Coyotes announced today that they have claimed center Gilbert Brule off re-entry waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. Phoenix will now be responsible for half of his $1.85 million salary. In 27 games this season with Edmonton's AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City, Brule has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points. He has not appeared in an NHL game so far this season. Not a bad depth move for the Coyotes, as Brule has some playmaking ability and can play a physical game from time to time. However, inconsistency and injuries have dogged him throughout his NHL career and have kept from developing into the high-scoring forward he was projected to be when Columbus drafted him sixth overall in 2005. Perhaps the change of scenery can help Brule get his career back on track and improve his game.

Oilers Claim Taylor Chorney Off Waivers from Blues

The Edmonton Oilers announced on Thursday that they have claimed defenseman Taylor Chorney off waivers from the St. Louis Blues and assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City. The Blues had previously claimed him off waivers from the Oilers on October 11. In two games with the Blues, Chorney had no points. He missed 10 games at the beginning of the season with a sprained knee. Not a bad pickup for the Oilers, as Chorney is a very mobile defenseman with some puckmoving skills and a little offensive upside. For now, he will remain in the minors unless injuries begin to mount on Edmonton's blueline.

Blues Claim Taylor Chorney Off Waivers from Oilers

The St. Louis Blues have announced that they have claimed defenseman Taylor Chorney off waivers from the Edmonton Oilers. He has yet to appear in an NHL game so far this season. In 12 games last season with the Oilers, he had one goal and three assists for four points. He also appeared in 46 games with Oklahoma City of the AHL, scoring three goals and 13 assists for 16 points. Not a bad pickup for the Blues, as Chorney is a very mobile defenseman with good puckmoving skills, as well as plenty of offensive upside. With Carlo Colaiacovo currently on injured reserve with an upper body injury, Chorney should be a suitable replacement on the blueline until Colaiacovo returns to the lineup.

Oilers Re-Sign Theo Peckham, Add Yann Danis

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have re-signed defenseman Theo Peckham to a one-year contract worth $1.075 million and signed free agent goaltender Yann Danis to a one-year contract. The financial terms of his deal were not disclosed. In 71 games last season with the Oilers, Peckham had three goals and 10 assists for 13 points and 198 penalty minutes. Danis appeared in 31 games last season with Amur Khabarovsk of the KHL, posting an 8-17-3 record, two shutouts, a 3.05 GAA, and a .910 save percentage. He last played in the NHL during the 2009-10 season with the New Jersey Devils. Peckham is a good signing for the Oilers, as he brings some stay-at-home qualities to the blueline. He also brings lots of grit and physical play to the team's defense. Danis is really just a depth signing for the Oilers and will likely play most of next season with Oklahoma City of the AHL.

Oilers Add Josh Green and Ryan Keller

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have signed left wing Josh Green and right wing Ryan Keller to one-year, two-way contracts. The financial terms of Green's deal were not disclosed, while Keller's deal will pay him $625,000 at the NHL level. In 12 games last season with the Anaheim Ducks, Green had no points. He also appeared in 69 games with Syracuse of the AHL, scoring 15 goals and 31 assists for 46 points. Keller played in 71 games last season with Binghamton of the AHL, scoring 32 goals and 19 assists for 51 points. He last appeared in the NHL during the 2009-10 season with the Ottawa Senators. These are really just depth signings for the Oilers, as both Green and Keller will likely the majority of next season with the team's AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City, providing lots of offensive depth and skill for that club.

Oilers Sign Cam Barker, Eric Belanger, and Corey Potter

The Edmonton Oilers announced on the first day of free agency that they have signed defensemen Cam Barker to a one-year contract worth $2.25 million and Corey Potter to a one-year, two-way contract, as well as center Eric Belanger to a three-year contract worth $5.25 million. His deal will average out to $1.75 million per season, while the financial terms of Potter's contract were not disclosed. Barker was signed as an unrestricted free agent after the Minnesota Wild bought out the final year of his contract. In 52 games last season with the Wild, he had one goal and four assists for five points, while Belanger had 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in all 82 games with the Phoenix Coyotes. Potter appeared in one games last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring no points. He also played in 75 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL, scoring seven goals and 30 assists for 37 points. Barker isn't a bad signing for the Oilers, as he still has some offensive upside on defense. He also has some mobility and skill on the power play, although he lacks consistency. He was a huge disappointment in Minnesota and hopefully a change of scenery will help Barker get his career back on track. Belanger is a decent addition for Edmonton, as he will bring plenty of veteran skill to the team. He has good two-way skill, is decent on faceoffs, and plays a good defensive game, so he should be a decent third-line center for the team. Potter is really just a depth signing for the Oilers, as he will likely spend the majority of next season in the minors.

Oilers Acquire Andy Sutton from Ducks for Kurtis Foster

The Edmonton Oilers have announced that they have acquired defenseman Andy Sutton from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for defenseman Kurtis Foster. Both players have one year remaining on their current contracts. In 39 games last season with the Ducks, Sutton had four assists and 87 penalty minutes. He missed 21 games with a thumb injury. Foster had eight goals and 14 assists for 22 points in 74 games with the Oilers. Not a bad move for both teams. Sutton will bring some much needed grit to Edmonton's blueline, as well as lots of toughness. Foster brings plenty of offensive skill and a good shot to Anaheim's defense. He is also excellent on the power play, so he should see lots of time on the power play with the Ducks.

Oilers Sign Ben Eager and Darcy Hordichuk

The Edmonton Oilers added some toughness to their lineup on the first day of free agency by signing left wing Ben Eager to a three-year contract worth $3.3 million and left wing Darcy Hordichuk to a one-year contract worth $800,000. Eager's deal will pay him $1.1 million per season. In 68 games last season with the Atlanta Thrashers and San Jose Sharks, he had seven goals and 10 assists for 17 points and 120 penalty minutes. Hordichuk appeared in 64 games last season with the Florida Panthers, scoring one goal and four assists for five points and 76 penalty minutes. These are decent depth signings for the Oilers, as they have added a couple physical bodies to their checking lines. Eager plays with lots of grit and toughness, is willing to drop the gloves to defend his teammates, and is great as an agitating winger. Hordichuk plays with plenty of energy, will drop the gloves to defend teammates, and plays with a physical edge. They should help make the Oilers a more physical team on offense next season.

Oilers Sign Ladislav Smid to Two-Year Contract

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have signed defenseman Ladislav Smid to a two-year contract extension worth $4.5 million. The deal will pay him $2.25 million each season. He would have been a restricted free agent on July 1. In 78 games last season, he had 10 assists and 85 penalty minutes. Not a bad signing for the Oilers, as Smid has good size, plays with plenty of grit, and has good shutdown skills on the blueline. He should continue to be a good fit for the team over the next two years.

Forward Ryan Smyth Returns to Edmonton

Ryan Smyth is on his way back to the Edmonton Oilers. The Los Angeles Kings announced on Sunday that they have traded Smyth to the Oilers for center Colin Fraser and a seventh round pick in the 2012 Entry Draft. The original agreement had Gilbert Brule and a fourth-round pick going to the Kings, but an injury to the 24-year-old forward kept them from sealing the deal. Sources claim the Kings intended to buy out the final year of Brule's contract, but the current collective bargaining agreement prohibits NHL teams from buying out injured players. Los Angeles was willing to trade Smyth to Edmonton for just a seventh-round pick, but the Oilers wanted to move a little salary and included Fraser in the deal. Smyth requested a trade last week to his former team, where he spent 12 seasons from 1994 to 2007. He has one more year remaining on his current contract. In all 82 games last season with the Kings, he had 23 goals and 24 assists for 47 points. Fraser appeared in 67 games last season with the Oilers, scoring three goals and two assists for five points and 60 penalty minutes. This is a decent move for the Oilers, as Smyth will bring lots of leadership to the young team. He also brings plenty of veteran, offensive depth and skill on the power play. Fraser will bring plenty of grit and toughness to the Kings' checking lines. In the end, this trade was mainly for Los Angeles to shed some salary after acquiring Mike Richards from the Philadelphia Flyers this past week, as well as satisfy Smyth's request to be traded back to Edmonton.

Oilers Sign Ryan Jones to Two-Year Extension

The Edmonton Oilers announced today that they have signed left wing Ryan Jones to a two-year contract extension. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 81 games this past season with the Oilers, he had 18 goals and seven assists for 25 points. Not a bad signing for the Oilers, as Jones was a fairly steady forward for the team last season. He has some offensive ability, good size, plays with some grit, and works hard on the ice. He should continue to be a good fit for the team over the next two years.

Doug Weight Announces His Retirement

After 19 seasons in the NHL, NY Islanders center and captain Doug Weight has decided to retire. He will stay on with the team as an assistant coach and a special assistant to general manager Garth Snow. He would have been an unrestricted free agent this summer. In 18 games this past season with the Islanders, he had two goals and seven assists for nine points. He missed the last 64 games of the regular season with back spasms. In 1238 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Carolina Hurricanes, Anaheim Ducks, and New York Islanders, he has 278 goals and 755 assists for 1033 points. He won the Stanley Cup in 2006 as a member of the Hurricanes and an Olympic Silver Medal in 2002 as a member of Team USA. Weight was always a solid forward throughout his career who saw the ice very well. He was an excellent passer and a proven leader on and off the ice. I wish him all the best in retirement.

Kings Acquire Dustin Penner from Oilers for Colten Teubert, Draft Picks

The Los Angeles Kings announced today that they have acquired left wing Dustin Penner from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for prospect defenseman Colten Teubert, a first round pick in the 2011 Entry Draft, and a conditional third round pick in 2012. The third round pick can become a second round pick if the Kings make the playoffs this season. Penner still has one more year left on his current contract, while Teubert still has two years left on his entry-level deal. In 62 games this season with Edmonton, Penner has 21 goals and 18 assists for 39 points, while Teubert has two goals and eight assists for 10 points and 57 penalty minutes in 39 games with Manchester of the AHL. This is a good move for the Kings, as Penner will bring the top-six winger the team had been seeking all season. He will bring plenty of goal-scoring talent to the team, as well as a physical presence, and should fit in very well with the team. The Kings did give up a premium to land Penner, and the draft picks can help the Oilers continue to rebuild their team. In Teubert, Edmonton gets a very physical blueliner who has all-around upside. He will likely jump into the Oilers' lineup next season, but could possibly play some NHL games this season if the team feels he's ready to make the jump to the NHL.