Should the Oilers sign free agent Boone Jenner?

Additionally, Jenner’s underlying metrics last season were all positive. According to Natural Stat Trick, he posted a 51.47 Corsi (CF%), 51.02 shots for percentage (SF%), 51.90 goals for percentage (GF%), 51.35 expected goals for percentage (xGF%), 53.08 scoring chances for percentage (SCF%), and 52.70 high-danger chances for percentage (HDCF%), meaning he tilted the ice more often than not when he was on at five-on-five.

The Dorchester, ON, native is also good on faceoffs. Jenner finished last season at 52.6 per cent in the faceoff circle and is 54 per cent for his career, with the last time he finished a season under 50 per cent coming all the way back in the 2014-15 season. He can also play on the penalty kill, having played 96:19 PK minutes in 2025-26, fourth-most among Blue Jackets forwards, where his faceoff percentage also rose to 56 per cent while shorthanded.

And of course, a physical edge is always welcomed. At 6-foot-2 and 204 pounds, Jenner has always liked to throw his body around, recording 141 hits last season, which was second-most on his team.

What are the risks of signing Jenner?

The downside of bringing Jenner into the fold is that he’s in the back nine of his career.

He’s soon to be 33 years old, and adding him might carry a similar risk to what the Oilers experienced with Adam Henrique’s falloff, who was just one year older than Jenner is now when the Oilers acquired him in March 2024, with his point production dipping in the two seasons that followed.

At the same time, there are health concerns as well. Jenner missed 14 games last season after suffering an upper-body injury in November, and the season prior, he missed the first 56 games after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery.

Now, factoring in the positives and negatives, should the Oilers make a pitch for Jenner if he becomes available on the open market?

Portzline noted that the Blue Jackets viewed Jenner as a fourth-line centre; however, outside of that organization, though, I’d say he could still be a 3C on the Oilers, having recorded 20-goal campaigns in three of the last five seasons, and perhaps he could even play higher in the lineup if he played on the wing.

Jenner’s four-year deal, worth $3.75 million a season, is expiring once the 2025-26 season wraps up, and there’s a chance his ask per season could land in the $4 million to $4.5 million range. Should the Oilers take a chance on him? I’d do it. After all, it’s Boone Jenner, a player I’ve wanted on the Oilers for a long time, but I’d only do it on a short-term deal, say one or two years maximum, at $4 million a season.

Yet, despite the Blue Jackets viewing him in a fourth-line role, I’d imagine there would still be a bidding war for his services around the league, and he’ll likely want to cash in on the biggest contract he can get.

Because of that, I feel the likelihood of Jenner signing a short-term contract is low, and while he would bring a strong two-way game, if he’s only open to a long-term deal, then the Oilers should politely pass and see if there is a younger, potentially better fit at 3C.