Oilers sign Seth Griffith to a two-year contract with $725,000 AAV

Only moments after signing Kyle Turris to a two-year contract, the Edmonton Oilers further added to their depth down the middle by signing right-handed centre, Seth Griffith, to a two-year contract with a $725K AAV.

Ken Holland is clearly looking to improve his organization’s depth at forward as he picked up journeyman centre, Seth Griffith, who spend the last couple of years in the Winnipeg Jets system with the Manitoba Moose. The 27-year-old native of Wallaceburg, Ontario, is a smaller guy, listed at 5’9″ and 193 lbs, but has shown that he’s able to produce at the AHL level basically everywhere he’s played, which will certainly help a Bakersfield Condors team that is looking to get back into the playoffs. For a young team like the Condors, having vets that can show them the ropes is a value that cannot be overlooked, and that’s what this contract tells me.

While I would certainly be surprised to see Griffith play more than a game or two with the NHL club — he last played 21 games with the Buffalo Sabres in 2017-18 — I do think it’s important to have guys that can produce down on the farm as well. Last season, the Condors took a sizeable step backwards after making the postseason for the first time in 2018-19, and the signing tells me that the Oilers are also focused on creating a winning environment for their prospects in the AHL as well. For many, these are the kinds of signings that don’t move the needle in terms of excitement, but could have a significant impact on the players we hope will be able to contribute at the National Hockey League level in years to come.

In 58 games played with the Moose, Griffith finished his season with 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points to go along with a -12 rating.