Trent Frederic could finally make Edmonton Oilers debut next week
The Edmonton Oilers could have Trent Frederic make his debut with the team as soon as next week.
After trading for Frederic in a deal with the Boston Bruins before the latest NHL trade deadline, the 27-year-old has yet to suit up in a game for the Oilers. This is due to an injury he sustained with the Bruins in February.
The timeline for his return has shifted around since being acquired, but Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch gave his clearest answer yet after this morning’s skate. It turns out that Frederic could make his debut in just a few days.
“Hopefully, he can play at some point on this road trip, maybe the last game,” Knoblauch said.
"Trent would be the first one returning. Hopefully he can play at some point on this road trip, maybe the last game."
Coach Knoblauch on the status of injured #Oilers forward Trent Frederic.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/rchHP3DzQu
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 2, 2025
That would put a potential Frederic debut in line to happen on Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks. It’s unclear where exactly Knoblauch will slot Frederic in if that is when he will make his debut, but Oilers GM Stan Bowman has previously alluded to viewing him as either a top-six winger or bottom-six centre.
That wasn’t the only piece of info that Knoblauch revealed. Frederic has been skating on an extra fifth line at Oilers practice with injured players Connor McDavid and Evander Kane. The Oilers coach said that, of those three, the St. Louis native will be the first player ready to return to action.
“Of all of them, Trent would be the first one returning,” Knoblauch told reporters. “The other guys aren’t going to be that soon.”
This pushes back the Oilers captain’s return to next Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues at the very earliest. Kane is not expected to be healthy until at least the playoffs, which are set to get underway on April 19. There were no updates given on potential returns for Mattias Ekholm or Stuart Skinner.
Frederic will add an element of toughness/scoring touch that doesn’t currently exist within the Oilers’ forward group. He is coming off two seasons where he has scored 17 and 18 goals, respectively. Injuries this year have limited him to just eight goals and 15 points through 57 games.
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