Oilers forward getting contract terminated after failed experiment

The Edmonton Oilers were hoping that forward David Tomasek would help to improve the depth scoring after he ripped up the Swedish Hockey League over the last two seasons — but that hasn’t been the case.

After recording just three goals and five points with the Oilers in 2025-26, Tomasek will be placed on unconditional waivers for the purpose of contract termination on Sunday following the NHL’s holiday roster freeze, the team announced on Friday.

“The 29-year-old will hit the waiver wire on Sunday following the NHL’s holiday roster freeze. The native of Czechia appeared in 22 games with the Oilers this season, scoring three goals and two assists,” wrote the official release. “Tomasek signed a one-year deal with Edmonton on April 2 after completing the 2024-25 season with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League.”

The 29-year-old inked a $1.2 million pact with the Oilers over the summer, after coming off back-to-back excellent campaigns in Sweden. Tomasek managed 25 goals and 45 points in 52 games in 2023-24, and was even better last season to the tune of 57 points in 47 games. That production earned him Most Valuable Player honors.

But he was unable to translate that success at the National Hockey League level, watching his ice time steadily decrease and finishing his Oilers tenure with a minus-six rating. Once he clears waivers, he will return to Färjestad BK of the SHL.

Oilers getting salary cap relief after David Tomasek termination

Tomasek has already left Edmonton and returned to Sweden, and it’s expected that he will formalize the termination and register a new contract in the country on Monday.

Despite being 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, Tomasek doesn’t play a very physical game, which the Oilers need more of in the bottom-six. As an offensive threat and powerplay specialist, there just wasn’t any ice time for him with the man advantage considering the star power Edmonton boasts.

He spent almost no time with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, which is probably how he would have been best utilized. He’ll finish his Oilers tenure averaging just 10:46 of ice time per game; he was a healthy scratch in six straight contests. His last NHL tilt came against the Toronto Maple Leafs on December 13.

For Edmonton’s front office, it’s some much needed salary cap relief. The team is already dipping into the LTIR pool to stay cap compliant, and will now increase their current cap space from just over $612,000 to $1.81 million.

The Oilers have four players currently on LTIR: Connor Clattenburg, Kasperi Kapanen, Noah Philp, and Jake Walman. The extra $1.2 million in cap space will be important going forward for a team that is strapped tight heading into the New Year.

Edmonton won seven of 10 games before the three-day holiday break, and the back-to-back Western Conference champions are currently sitting in a three-way tie for first place in the Pacific Division with the Vegas Golden Knights and Anaheim Ducks.

They’ll look to continue stringing together positive results in the latest edition of the Battle of Alberta in Calgary on Saturday night.