Edmonton Oilers Fans Losing Their Patience With Management After Deadline Trade, Per the Athletic
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According to The Athletic, Oilers fans could be losing their patience with management after a disappointing turnout in this year's biggest trade deadline move.
The Edmonton Oilers general manager Stan Bowman made a few trades in March, ahead of the deadline, with the main acquisitions being Jake Walman and Trent Frederic.
Frederic's acquisition was particularly interesting for the fans. He brings an interesting combination of skills, physicality, and size that could fill a hole on the Oilers' bottom six.
Unfortunately, Frederic, who got injured in February, attempted to return on April 5th, but he re-aggravated his injury during his first shift.
Now, his status for the playoffs is uncertain, and fans are starting to show signs of impatience, according to The Athletic's Allan Mitchell.
In a recent paper titled "Why signing Trent Frederic before free agency is a risk for Edmonton Oilers", he wrote about how disappointed Oilers fans are that Frederic hasn't been able to help the team, with no indications that he'd fit in the team's environment.
In his own words:
« The Oilers acquired Frederic at the deadline, and he's been hurt for almost the entire time. His one game with Edmonton was cut short by the exacerbation of an injury and he's unlikely to appear early in the playoffs.
Fans are upset at the price paid for a veteran who has yet to contribute. He's also in his walk year and there are no indications that the player would thrive in the Edmonton environment.
Should Bowman sign Frederic, is there any indication that he would stay healthy and perform at a productive level? »
Fans are upset at the price paid for a veteran who has yet to contribute. He's also in his walk year and there are no indications that the player would thrive in the Edmonton environment.
Should Bowman sign Frederic, is there any indication that he would stay healthy and perform at a productive level? »
Frederic will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, with his $2,300,000 AAV contract signed in 2023 expiring.
The Oilers will have a decision to make. They had him at only a quarter of his salary, with both the New Jersey Devils and the Boston Bruins retaining a part of his contract, and nothing suggests the Oilers will be willing to sign him at the end of the season.
However, if he gets back in the lineup in the playoffs and has an impact, things could change quickly, both for the fans and the organization.
In 57 games this season with the Bruins, Frederic scored eight goals and seven assists, with 44 penalty minutes and a -16 goal differential.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 16 | 238 ANSWERS Edmonton Oilers Fans Losing Their Patience With Management After Deadline Trade, Per the Athletic Do you think Trent Frederic will play for the Edmonton Oilers in the playoffs? | ||
| Yes | 142 | 59.7 % |
| No | 96 | 40.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
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