Edmonton Oilers Roster Changes
The Edmonton Oilers have initiated a couple of roster changes ahead of their upcoming game against the Carolina Hurricanes. Defenseman Troy Stecher finds himself on NHL waivers after a slow start to the season, while rookie forward Isaac Howard has been assigned to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
Troy Stecher’s Struggles
At 31 years of age, Stecher has struggled for playing time this season, participating in just six games and not featuring since October 30 when the Oilers suffered a narrow 4-3 overtime defeat to the New York Rangers. Under coach Kris Knoblauch, Stecher’s ice time has dipped to 13:37 per game, marking a career low in his decade-long NHL journey. Last season, he had a more prominent role, appearing in 66 games for the Oilers and contributing three goals and seven points while averaging 13:52 on the ice.
Should no other teams claim Stecher from waivers, he will head down to Bakersfield, where he has only seen action in four AHL games since starting his professional career in the 2016-17 season. Additionally, center David Kampf has cleared waivers and will see his contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs officially terminated, leaving him a free agent at the age of 30.
Isaac Howard’s Demotion
Meanwhile, Howard, who is just 21 years old, doesn’t require waivers to be demoted to the minors. In 17 games this season for Edmonton, he has tallied two goals and one assist while averaging around 9:30 in ice time.
Roster Flexibility and Zach Hyman’s Return
These moves appear to create roster flexibility as the Oilers prepare for the anticipated return of left winger Zach Hyman. The 33-year-old has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since early in the preseason and has been placed on long-term injured reserve, which has allowed Edmonton to temporarily exceed the salary cap limit by his $5.5 million cap hit. At present, the team holds approximately $3.24 million in cap space while Hyman remains on LTIR.
Last season, Hyman showcased his scoring ability with 27 goals and 44 points across 73 games, and he also contributed in the playoffs with five goals and 11 points in 15 appearances, prior to facing another injury. His season debut is expected to coincide with Saturday’s matchup against the Hurricanes, adding a significant boost to the Oilers’ lineup.
