Oilers Must Learn From Travis Dermott's Missteps to Avoid Failure in Future Contracts

Most PTOs amount to nothing. Please refer back to the original article to view embedded media, however if a player makes their team it could be treated as money earned through found means; considered extra contributor acquired without much investment on your behalf. But in certain instances, PTO can lead to missed opportunities – as was seen with New Jersey Devils forward Kevin Labanc who came into camp as part of a PTO and excelled despite its limitations, earning himself a position among their bottom six forwards. However, as part of his offer from the Devils for an NHL contract he would need to start in the AHL instead. Columbus Blue Jackets quickly capitalized on this opportunity and signed Labanc to an NHL contract, picking up an impactful middle-six contributor at virtually no cost.It is not often that an injured player like Kevin Labanc can sign elsewhere before their season even starts; yet that happened here after having had such an outstanding training camp experience for Philadelphia Devils only to then release and move him temporarily back down for cap reasons (njdevils initially offered him same contract; needed waiver due to cap reasons & AHL player for cap purposes; then CBJ had injuries so CBJ took full advantage of opportunity & did just that). Good opportunity now.” — Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli), October 5, 2024The Edmonton Oilers may find themselves in a similar predicament with Travis Dermott, as his stellar training camp performance should earn him a roster spot with Edmonton. But signing Dermott would force the Oilers to release either Josh Brown (they just signed him to a three-year deal), or Troy Stecher, who would almost certainly be claimed, forcing Dermott out and potentially leading him into an NHL role somewhere else. Thus allowing his strong training camp performance to pay dividends elsewhere. He would be an ideal addition to rebuilding teams like San Jose or Calgary, or cash-strapped contenders such as Dallas or Tampa Bay; unfortunately for them however, that wasn’t what was in mind at first and has resulted in several disappointments for their own squad in years past. Back in 2016, they invited two-time Cup champion Kris Versteeg to camp as a player-for-hire (PTO). Versteeg played well, looking like an effective bottom-six grinder. But at the conclusion of training camp, Versteeg decided against accepting a two-way contract from Edmonton and instead signed with Calgary Flames where there would be greater opportunity for playing time. The Oilers obviously cannot enter this season with eight defencemen on the roster; two must be chosen between Dermott, Stecher and Brown in terms of on-ice performance and salary cap considerations; it appears likely that waiving Brown might be their best bet in terms of both on-ice playback ability as well as cost implications. Brown has posted subpar NHL numbers over his three year contract and had an arduous training camp, yet still managed to command an $8 Million annual contract from Edmonton. Yet clearly they still see value in his size; otherwise they wouldn’t have extended him for three seasons. Stecher and Dermott are similar players and would make for unnecessary redundancies on any roster. Dermott outperformed Stecher in pre-season play while offering greater versatility by being able to play both sides of the ice; making him the superior option. Stecher has signed an extremely low cost two-year deal and could easily fall prey to waivers; yet Edmonton have put themselves in that exact predicament by not trading him before waivers became eligible. Dermott could accept an AHL assignment with Edmonton or find work elsewhere in the NHL – either way it appears likely this move won’t last too long. But Edmonton have found an asset in him; an adaptable, steady puck-moving defenceman that fits any position within their bottom four lineup, it would be hard for us to see him leave without compensation. Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site so as never to miss news, interviews or updates regarding your team! Related topics may include Connor McDavid cooking up something big; former Oilers goalie taking indefinite leave; two former Defenders were waived off; an aggressive ex-Oiler didn’t make team; Oilers Are To Receive Big Salary Cap Boost and finally “Connor Shows Incredible Emotional Courage in Amazon Series