Edmonton Oilers Cut Down Roster to 36 Players

The Edmonton Oilers announced more cuts following their 6-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets Saturday.

Edmonton assigned Grayson Downing, Joey Laleggia, Caleb Jones and Ryan Mantha to the Bakersfield Condors, and Mitch Callahan and Keegan Lowe were placed on waivers for assignment. The Oilers’ roster now sits at 36 players, with 21 forwards, 11 defensemen and four goaltenders remaining.

Edmonton Oilers

Downing, along with seven other free agent forwards, signed with Edmonton on the first day of free agency this offseason. He suited up for 39 games with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and Tucson Roadrunners last season, racking up nine goals and 26 points in 47 games. The 25-year-old also suited up for two preseason games with Edmonton, registering a shot on goal and around 24 minutes TOI.

Joey Laleggia, who is transitioning into the forward role after playing defence with the organization these last few seasons, had 20 goals and 38 points in 67 games with the Condors last season. Despite six shots in three preseason games, he could benefit from more development before making the NHL jump.

Caleb Jones and Ryan Mantha both pack a lot of promise; both recently finished strong careers at the junior level, and appear ready to take the next step up. While they are tailored to become strong NHL defenders, they need to develop more at the AHL level first. Not only that, but they could both benefit from bigger minutes at the minor league level.

Next: Edmonton Oilers: Puljujarvi Shines in 6-2 Win Over Jets

The Road Ahead

As the Oilers continue to surge through camp in the coming days, the team is expected to make more cuts. Following their recent cuts, they have to trim 13 more players to get down to a 23-man roster before opening night. Some notable names still on the roster include Kailer Yamamoto, Brad Malone, Jesse Puljujarvi and Chris Kelly. The team will continue its preseason Monday against the Carolina Hurricanes.