Oilers 2024-25 Report Cards: Troy Stecher

As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card graded Ty Emberson, and now we will evaluate his competition for the final top-six spot heading into this season: Troy Stecher. Stecher is a depth defenceman, with a cheap $787,500 cap hit. Last season, the 31-year-old blueliner scored three goals and seven points in 66 games with a minus-2 rating. He averaged 13:52 of ice time, a career low.

He got injured near the end of the regular season, which bled into the start of the playoffs. The Richmond, British Columbia, native was healthy by Game 4 of Round 1, but was kept out because the Oilers were playing well. He didn’t return to the lineup until Game 4 of Round 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights. You know the saying, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, and he was a casualty of that.

Stecher is undersized at 5-foot-10 and 184 pounds, but that has never prevented him from playing with heart, going into the corners and working along the boards. An undrafted defenceman, he is a strong skater and can join the rush on occasion; he’s also a solid puck-mover, which the organization values.

Stecher Elevated Darnell Nurse

In 2024-25, Stecher was referred to as the Darnell Nurse whisperer because he brought the best out of him, and that’s where he was most valuable. Nurse played the most with Stecher, accumulating 470:23 together during the regular season. The Oilers outscored their opposition 19-16 when they were on the ice together at 5-on-5, while generating 209 scoring chances and giving up 196. They also generated 90 high-danger scoring chances and conceded only 59, for a 60.40% high-danger chance percentage.

Nurse simply looked more comfortable with Stecher, and their play styles meshed well. Nurse works best with a puck-mover, and Stecher is an above-average one. He also likes to jump in on the rush, and Stecher is quick enough to recognize that and use his speed to get back and defend. As a result, Nurse was able to take more risks, and he’s more effective that way. They fed off each other and were a solid duo together.

Stecher’s Overall Grade

Stetcher was just okay in the regular season, but expectations weren’t high. He finished with 35 hits and 66 blocked shots, but he wasn’t as reliable in the defensive zone. The right-shot blueliner had 50 giveaways, the most of his career by far and 11 more than his second-most in 2022-23. Therefore, he gets a C- for his regular season performance. He could’ve been worse, but he also could’ve been much better.