Oilers’ Summer Addition of Brendan Perlini Could Be a Steal

As a general rule, a National Hockey League franchise, like the Edmonton Oilers, should enter training camp with its roster more or less decided. Other than some supporting roles, or a potential slot for a youngster who’s ready to take a big step forward, there are generally few surprises.

That’s certainly the case in Edmonton, where the Oilers’ top-six forwards and top two defensive pairings are locked in. The situation in the net is unlikely to change either, for better or worse, but that isn’t to say there aren’t some roster spots up for grabs.

Edmonton’s bottom-six forward group saw a number of departures after the disappointing end to the 2020-21 season. Players like Jujhar Khaira, Alex Chiasson, Patrick Russell, and Dominik Kahun have moved on, while another bottom-six forward, in Josh Archibald, maybe on his way out as well.

That makes some room for youth, or a journeyman, to crack the lineup, and given the generally poor numbers put up by Oilers not named McDavid or Draisaitl last year, the right addition could help the team find success.

One name added to the organization this summer, without a lot of fanfare, is Brendan Perlini. The 25-year-old left-winger has size (6’3″, 211lbs) and some skill, scoring 46 goals in his 239 NHL appearances.

He’s had a couple down years, but those lower totals came in Chicago and Detroit, two cities where the local franchises are clearly in rebuild mode. Not every player from an underwhelming team is a lost cause, and Perlini’s early preseason performance seems to indicate he has more to give.

Taken in the first round (#12 overall) by the Arizona Coyotes back in 2014, Perlini had double digit goals in three of his first four NHL seasons before things dried up on him. After spending 2020-21 playing in Europe, he looks ready to grab his chance at a return to the best league on the planet. Scoring one goal on the Calgary Flames in his first preseason appearance, Perlini followed that up with two more against the Seattle Kraken and currently leads the club in goals.

While he obviously won’t score at the same pace over an 82 game season, it certainly looks like he can help the depth scoring, and he might be the sort of player who can jump up to the top line for a spell, just to give opponents a different look. It’s a role Archibald played with some success, so again there could be a gap there that needs filling.

If there’s one concern with Perlini, it’s the defensive side of his game.  Rarely in his career have his advanced statistics been on the bright side of 50% and, given the question marks amongst the Oilers’ defence and goaltending, it’s the sort of weakness that could be magnified. Still, with the right partners on his line, those negative attributes can be limited, and all a bottom-six forward really needs to do most nights in Edmonton is tread water, 97 and 29 should do the rest.