Edmonton Oilers expected to bring Travis Dermott to training camp on PTO: report
The Edmonton Oilers are bringing an NHL veteran to training camp on a professional tryout.
The team is expected to host Travis Dermott at their skates this week before inviting him to camp on a PTO per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Been lots of speculation on #Oilers defense plans … Expectation is we'll see Travis Dermott arrive in Edmonton for voluntary captain's skates this week, with a formal PTO to follow.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 10, 2024
Dermott has 329 NHL games under his belt. He’s played for the now-relocated Arizona Coyotes, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Vancouver Canucks in the past.
The 27-year-old, who is 6 feet tall, is not the biggest blueliner but has solid skating and puck-moving ability. Last season, he had two goals and five assists for seven points in 50 games with the Coyotes.
He has cracked the double-digit point mark three times in his NHL career, although he hasn’t done so since the 2019-20 season.
While Dermott is left-handed, he has played on both sides of the blue line at times during his NHL career. This versatility is very valuable, especially near the bottom of the defensive depth chart.
The Oilers lost Vincent Desharnais and Philip Broberg from last year’s team and thus have some defensive depth to replenish. Dermott, with his versatility, relatively young age, and skating ability, is an intriguing and low-risk option.
Bringing Dermott to training camp for a professional tryout would allow the Oilers to get a close look at his play before committing any salary cap space.
The blueliner has another connection to the Oilers: He was a teammate of Connor McDavid’s in the OHL with the Erie Otters. That familiarity could help Dermott adjust to his new team.