The Edmonton Oilers got into the thick of the trade deadline by adding former Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic in a three-team deal involving the New Jersey Devils.
Frederic’s name had been swirling around all year. But with the Bruins fading in the Atlantic Division standings this season, it seems the B’s have decided to raise the white flag. As such, moving Frederic makes sense as he’s sent to become a UFA this summer.
Instead of hoping to resign Frederic in the summer, the Bruins recouped what they could from this deal. Let’s break down the specifics of this rather complex trade:
First trade:
Bruins send Frederic to New Jersey Devils for Petr Hauser, an unsigned draft pick. The Bruins retain 50 percent of Frederic’s salary in the deal.
Second trade:
The Devils sent Frederic plus another 50 percent retention to the Edmonton Oilers for another unsigned draft pick, Shane Lachance.
Third trade:
The Bruins sent Max Jones and Huser to the Oilers for Max Wanner, a 2025 second-round pick (originally belonging to St. Louis), and the Oilers own 2026 fourth-round selection.
All told, the Edmonton Oilers get Frederic from the Devils, and Jones and Hauser from the Bruins in exchange for Shane Shane Lachance and two draft picks.
It should be noted that the Devils, as a third party, had to get involved in order to facilitate the salary retention on Frederic. Otherwise, the Oilers would not have been able to fit Frederic’s full $2.3 million cap hit without clearing significant money.
Following the double 50 percent retention, Frederic’s cap hit for the Oilers now stands at $575K. It ended up costing the Oilers two draft picks and an unsigned prospect. That’s not bad considering that the 2025 second-rounder is projected to be in one of the weaker drafts this decade.
Breaking down the Edmonton Oilers 3-team deal
Let’s start by looking at the other two pieces heading to Edmonton. Adding Max Jones is more of a forward-depth piece, particularly in the postseason. Jones has no points in seven games this season.
As for Hauser, he was the Devils’ fifth-round selection in the 2022 NHL draft. He never signed with New Jersey, instead opting to remain in Europe. He’s just 21 and adds some potential punch to the Oilers' future. At 6’4” and 207 pounds, he’s got power-forward potential. Elite Prospects shows he’s got 13 points in 42 games in Czechia this season.
Beyond Hauser and Jones, the big enchilada is Frederic. He adds punch, grit, and some skill to the Oilers. He’s the type of player Edmonton needs to round out its forward group. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Kris Knoblauch line up Frederic alongside Leon Draisaitl on the Oilers’ second line.
Compared to other options like Jeff Skinner, Viktor Arvidsson, or Vasily Podkolzin, Frederic is the sort of forward the Oilers need to move the needle in their top six. Playing with Draisaitl could elevate Frederic’s overall game while giving Draisaitl a competent winger to flank him.
In many ways, Frederic is a much younger version of Corey Perry. Frederic is tough and delivers the type of game contenders need when grinding in the postseason. It should be noted that Frederic could turn out to be a Zach Hyman-light in that he’s a power forward with enough skills to score goals at a high rate.
While it’s unlikely Frederic evolves into a 50-goal scorer, there is a great chance that Frederic blossoms playing with an elite center like Draisaitl. That’s something that Frederic didn’t have in Boston. Unfortunately, the overall dysfunctional season Boston has had this year hurt Frederic’s growth into a bona fide top-six forward.
Overall, the Oilers get a solid A for this trade as they didn’t give up a first-round pick to make the deal work. Moreover, the Oilers got plenty of retention support to make the numbers work. Kudos to Stan Bowman for making this deal work without paying through the nose.
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