The Edmonton Oilers have placed forward Adam Erne on waivers. If he clears, he’ll be on his way to play for the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey League. Erne has played 23 games with the Oilers this season, scoring two points. He also has nine penalty minutes and a +2 rating.
Erne has played four games for the Condors this year, putting up one goal and a -5 rating. The Oilers signed him right before the season began to a league minimum contract with few expectations. He played under eight minutes of ice time per game and never contributed much offence.
Now that the Oilers have signed free agent Corey Perry to a one-year deal, that pushes Erne out of the lineup. It is possible that Erne will spend the rest of the season in the AHL, but if there are injuries on the big club he could be one of the first callups.
Erne’s career has slowed down a bit this year. From 2019-2023, he was a solid fourth-line player for the Tampa Bay Lightning and subsequently the Detroit Red Wings. He put up 20 points on two separate occasions and was effective on the defensive side of the game. This season, he hasn’t been able to do that. Whether that’s because of a lack of opportunity or he’s simply just playing as well is unknown but going down to the minors could be a good thing for the 28-year-old winger.
Erne has played 163 games in the AHL over his career, scoring 42 goals and 94 points. He will be a key member of the Condors for as long as he ends up playing there. The Condors are in the thick of a playoff race and the addition of Erne could be the boost they need to string together a few more wins and lock down a playoff berth.
More must-reads: