Monday proved to be an interesting day for the Edmonton Oilers and their fans, not least because the team got blanked 3-0 at home to the New Jersey Devils. In addition, there was some action off the ice, by way of a trade.
As confirmed by the team, they acquired blue liner Ronnie Attard in a trade from the Philadelphia Flyers. In exchange, the Oilers sent fellow defenceman Ben Gleason to the Flyers.
We assume (trust) Attard isn't the player general manager Stan Bowman has been aggressively working the phones to bring on board? Regardless, here are five things to know about the Oilers' newest addition to the organisation:
A record-setter in the USHL
1) Attard played three seasons in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm between 2016-17 and 2018-19 and was named both USHL Player and USHL Defenceman of the Year in his final season. During that final campaign in the USHL, he set a single-season record for most goals and points by a defenceman with 30 goals and 65 overall points. (He also had a +46 rating and accumulated 66 penalty minutes.)
2) The White Lake, Michigan native then spent the next three seasons in the NCAA with Western Michigan University, where he produced 72 points, 61 penalty minutes and a +38 rating in 94 games. His time at university included being named First Team All-National Collegiate Hockey Conference in 2020-21, when he was also nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award for best college hockey player.
3) As per The Hockey Writers, ahead of the 2019 NHL entry draft, Attard was ranked 64th by McKeen's Hockey and 76th by NHL Central Scouting. He subsequently went to the Flyers in the third round, with the 72nd overall draft pick.
4) The 25-year-old made his NHL debut during the 2021-22 season with the Flyers. To date he has played 29 NHL games, in the process producing six points, 14 penalty minutes, a -1 rating, 49 hits and 33 blocks, while averaging 16:06 of ice time.
Scouting report
5) Attard is a right-shot physical presence at 6 ft 3 and 208 pounds, who also has leadership qualities as evidenced by being captain or assistant captain at his various stops before arriving in the NHL. He is aggressive, works hard and is offensively gifted, but does still need to work on being less erratic with his defensive game.
Both Attard and Gleason will join their new organisations' respective AHL affiliates. Certainly the Bakersfield Condors specifically need Attard, as they prepare to play four road games in just six days, beginning Tuesday night in Calgary against the Wranglers.