Recapping Edmonton Oilers Free Agency- Week One

We're now into the first week of the offseason and the Oilers turned out to be very active in free agency, signing no less than 15 players.
Buffalo Sabres v Edmonton Oilers
Buffalo Sabres v Edmonton Oilers | Lawrence Scott/GettyImages
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Free agents that are still unsigned

C Sam Gagner - at this point, Gagner is nothing more than an extra forward to the team. It's also important to note that at 34 he has some hard miles on his body, and he looked a step slower now than the previous season he suited up for the Oilers. I'm not sure what Jackson is thinking here in regard to Gagner, but it might be time for him to consider retiring. He was put on the taxi squad for the playoffs, but he seemed to run out of gas mid-season. I'd say a less than 10% chance of him returning.

LW Adam Erne - a Holland recruit from last season who showed himself as nothing more than an AHL bubble player, a fairly vanilla player and these guys are a dime a dozen. No better than a 50% chance of him returning.

LW Dylan Holloway - Holloway is arguably one of the best players we've got in the bottom six and could be knocking at the door of the top six, it's just a matter of what the contract looks like now not if he's re-signed. 100% chance he's re-signed.

L/RD Philip Broberg - How do you NOT re-sign Broberg and give him a regular spot in the lineup after the way he played in the playoffs? The guy has played games in the playoffs the last two seasons as well, but he was far more productive this playoffs than the last two. 100% chance he will come back

Greg Mckegg, Brad Malone, Seth Griffith - I put these guys together because they're all about the same - vanilla AHL bubble players at best. The 35-year-old Malone may retire, the other guys may or may not be back.

Raphael Lavoie - two straight seasons of 20 goal performances for the Condors, he's in the conversation for a callup next season. 100% chance he's re-signed.

Markus Niemelainen - this blueliner is a group six free agent, so he hasn't accrued enough NHL games to truly qualify for UFA status. Niemelainen hasn't had a sniff at the NHL in two seasons, so it's hard to say what happens to him at this point. The third round pick from 2016 appears to have had his shot and couldn't make the next step. With a new GM in place, it's possible the Oilers just cut him loose, perhaps depending on who they bring in to the Condors as prospects or otherwise.

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