Oilers sign forward Adam Erne to cheap one-year contract
The Edmonton Oilers have added some more NHL experience to their forward group.
The team announced on Friday that it had signed forward Adam Erne to a one-year contract worth the league minimum of $775,000. The contract is a two-way deal.
Erne-d it āļø
The #Oilers have signed forward Adam Erne to a one-year, two-way contract with an AAV of $775,000 at the NHL level. #LetsGoOilers
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) October 13, 2023
Originally drafted in the second round of the 2013 NHL Draft, the 28-year-old Erne has played 355 NHL games with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings. Over that time he has accumulated 40 goals and 49 assists for 89 points.
His most successful NHL season came in 2020-21 when he scored 11 goals and added nine assists for 20 points in just 45 games with the Red Wings.
Earlier this year, Erne was brought in on a PTO by the Edmonton Oilers and played the preseason with the team. He finished with one goal, zero assists, and 16 penalty minutes in six games.
Erne is known as a physical player who isn’t afraid to lay the body. He has averaged 2.29 hits per game over his NHL career and will help add an element of toughness should he slot into the Oilers’ bottom six.
Erne is represented by NHL agent Richie Winter. Other clients of Winter’s include fellow Oiler Calvin Pickard, Calgary Flame Andrew Mangiapane, and Mason Appleton of the Winnipeg Jets.
The signing comes just a few hours after news broke that the Oilers would be placing defenceman Markus Niemelainen on waivers, leaving the possibility that another team claim the 25-year-old defenceman for free.
The Oilers next game is on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks. These two teams met on Wednesday night in what was the season opener for both sides. The final score was ugly as the Canucks walked away with an 8-1 victory.
The rematch on Saturday will take place onĀ Hockey Night in Canada.Ā It remains to be seen if Erne will be in the lineup for that game.