Edmonton Oilers: Looking at expiring contracts – RFA edition
By Phil Gretzky
LW/C/RW Devin Shore, expiring contract $700,000
Devin Shore was a great story this year. He was brought in on a PTO, and Holland kept him seemingly because he had some injuries to start the season. Shore was like a bottom 6 utility knife, in and out of the lineup and seemed to answer the bell when called upon. He was playing everywhere in the bottom 6 – center, both wings, 3rd line, 4th line. Whatever Dave Tippett needs of him, he does.
He won’t be an offensive dymano but he’ll put up enough offence to be a 4th liner or sub in on the 3rd line if necessary. He put up 5-4-9 in 38 games last year, in a full 82 game season that would be 11 goals and 19 points, solid production for a 4th liner and decent enough for a 3rd liner. It’s worth nothing that the only other 2 seasons in which he played a full 82 game season – both with Dallas – he had 13-20-33 and 11-21-32 in those 2 seasons.
Shore is a bit questionable defensively which is why you can’t play him in the top 6. Nonetheless, he’s OK, finishing -4 last season, which is where the average of his career is.
It’s short sample size of only 108 of them, but he also seems to have a talent for faceoffs, finishing at 52.78%. He does a little bit of PK – 1:11 per game, good enough for 10th on the team in that department. Good hitter – he was tied with Zack Kassian on the team for 6th with 73.
If the Oilers get a bit better in their depth as I suspect, then Shore would probably be a solid option for extra forward. Of course, if he survives training camp I could see him start the season on the 4th line as well.
Chances he gets re-signed – 50%. Bottom 6 forward is always the most volatile spot on the team – it’s easy to get replaced. A lot of this depends on what other players Holland brings in. There’s arguments to sign him and arguments not to.
Projected contract – 1 year, $770,000. The minimum and that’s it.