Oilers RFA William Lagesson signs one-year deal with HC Vita Hasten

Earlier today, it was announced via the Vita Hasten website that Edmonton Oilers RFA defenceman, William Lagesson, has signed a one-year deal with the club for the 2020-21 HockeyAllsvenskan season.

Another Edmonton Oilers prospect has found a place to play while waiting for the NHL season to return, as it was announced that William Lagesson signed a one-year deal to play with HC Vita Hasten in Sweden’s secondary league. Lagesson, a restricted free agent at the end of 2019-20, has yet to sign a new deal with the Oilers but that didn’t stop him from finding a place to get some at-bats in as he chose to stay in his native Sweden for the start of the HockeyAllsvenskan season. According to PuckPedia.com, his contract with HC Vita Hasten does have an NHL out-clause just in case a new deal with the Oilers comes for the start of their next campaign.

Drafted in the fourth round of the 2014 draft (91st overall), Lagesson took some time before landing in North America, making his Bakersfield Condors debut in 2018-19 and working his way near the top of the AHL depth chart with a campaign that saw him put up 27 points in 67 games with an impressive +25 rating. Yet, despite his strong play with the Condors, Lagesson has yet to make the full-time leap to the NHL, though, he did play in eight contests for the Oilers this past season, his first at hockey’s top level. While he won’t ever bring much offence to the table, his true strength comes in his steady play in the defensive end, which makes him a reasonably valuable depth piece going forward.

Lagesson is a restricted free agent and waiver eligible for the first time next season, and the Oilers will have to make a decision on where they see his future with the franchise sooner than later. You have to think that his opportunity to have a consistent role on the Oilers will come soon, especially with their need for some cheap contracts to provide them with reliable minutes, but we’ll have to wait and see when or if Lagesson will be the one to fill that void. As is the case with everything in Corona 2020, all we can do is stand by to see how the cookie crumbles.