Edmonton Oilers sign Travis Dermott to professional tryout

Dermott spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Arizona Coyotes, now known as the Utah Hockey Club. The Newmarket, Ontario native appeared in 50 games, missing some due to injury. He scored two goals and seven points, finishing with a plus/minus rating of -14.

The injury bug has followed Dermott around for the past couple of years. In 2022-23 with the Vancouver Canucks, he played in just 11 games, missing almost three months after suffering a concussion during the preseason. The closest he has ever come to playing a full season in the NHL was during the 2018-19 campaign when Dermott played 64 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Maple Leafs originally took Dermott in the second round, 34th overall, of the 2015 NHL Draft. With his speed, the former Erie Otter was expected to be a top-four d-man in Toronto for years. Unfortunately, he struggled to find consistency, eventually falling out of favor. He ended up being traded to the Canucks in March 2022, and while he still has the talent to be a solid blueliner, injuries have kept the 27-year-old from reaching his potential.

It will be interesting to see where Dermott can fit into the Oilers’ lineup. The team already has seven defensemen listed on the NHL roster, having just acquired Ty Emberson from the San Jose Sharks, and signing Dermott’s former teammate in Arizona, Troy Stetcher. Not to mention that the Oilers only have $170,833 of cap space, according to CapWages. However, that might change if Evander Kane is placed on long-term injured reserve.

Across seven seasons in the NHL, Dermott has played 329 games, scoring 16 goals and 46 assists with a +15 rating. He has also appeared in 22 Stanley Cup Playoff games, all with the Leafs. Over that time, he scored two goals and three assists with a -5 rating.