Oilers' 5 most disappointing free-agent signings
While every NHL organization is prone to handing out bad free-agent contracts every now and again, the Edmonton Oilers have had several ugly ones.
Like the entire Oilers team as a whole, things have mainly gotten better in that regard in recent years, though there are still a few contracts on their roster that they could certainly do without. Thankfully, those few bad contracts haven’t hindered the team’s success like some had throughout their struggles in the 2010s, several of which will be discussed in this piece. With that said, let’s look at the five worst free-agent signings in Oilers’ history.
Sheldon Souray (2007)
Five years, $27 million
Just a season removed from their run to the Stanley Cup Final, the Oilers were looking for a blue liner to come in and lead the way after losing Chris Pronger the prior offseason. They attempted to do so by signing Sheldon Souray to a five-year, $27 million deal.
Souray was never able to replicate the 64-point player he was in the season prior to his signing, as his Oilers tenure was hampered by injuries. He spent just three seasons in Edmonton and a fourth with their AHL affiliate in what was a messy split. He would find his way back into the NHL for two more seasons following before announcing his retirement after the 2012-13 campaign.
Dustin Penner (2007)
Five years, $21.25 million
Another big and regrettable signing the Oilers made during the 2007 offseason came when Kevin Lowe chose to sign then Anaheim Ducks RFA Dustin Penner to an offer sheet deal worth $21.25 million over five years. This infuriated Ducks GM Brian Burke, though he ultimately chose not to match it.
In return, the Oilers were forced to send the Ducks their first-, second-, and third-round picks in the 2008 draft. Despite Penner scoring north of 20 goals in three of his four seasons with the Oilers, fans were generally displeased with his rather lazy effort throughout his tenure.
Nikolai Khabibulin (2009)
Four years, $15 million
Despite being 36 years old at the time, the Oilers gave Nikolai Khabibulin a four-year, $15 million deal. The move technically did make them younger in the crease, as he was replacing 39-year-old Dwayne Roloson, who chose to sign with the New York Rangers.
The move went about as expected, as Khabibulin spent plenty of his time in Edmonton on the injured reserve. In his defence, he played relatively well when healthy, but struggled to pick up many wins behind an abysmal Oilers roster. He would play just four more NHL games with the Chicago Blackhawks after his contract in Edmonton came to an end before announcing his retirement.
Andrew Ference (2013)
Four years, $13 million
Typically, being able to sign a top-four defenceman to a cap hit of $3.25 million is a pretty tidy business. That said, most could see the downfall on the horizon for Andrew Ference, who was already 34 when the contract was signed. Sure enough, it aged terribly right from the get-go.
Ference was named captain of the Oilers shortly after signing his deal, which added even more pressure for him. He was simply given too big of a role on what was a very weak blue line, and he struggled immensely. He would play just two full seasons in Edmonton before undergoing hip surgery early on in his third, which ended his career. Not only was his on-ice performance poor, but he never saw eye to eye with the Oilers’ young talent, specifically Taylor Hall.
Jack Campbell (2022)
Five years, $25 million
The difference between Jack Campbell and the others on this list is that he still has a chance to redeem himself and change the public opinion that his contract is a bad one. That said, his first season in Edmonton was an outright disaster. He recorded a ghastly 3.41 goals-against average (GAA) along with a .888 save percentage (SV%) and was supplanted as the Oilers’ number-one netminder by rookie Stuart Skinner.
Had they been able to, the Oilers likely would have moved Campbell’s team in a second this offseason. Given the $5 million cap hit it comes with, however, doing so is nearly impossible. They are instead left hoping he can bounce back and be the goalie he was at times for the Toronto Maple Leafs a season prior.
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