Oilers sign UMass-Lowell Forward Gambardella to Entry-Level deal
By Cam Lewis
7 years agoAccording to the team’s official Twitter account, the Edmonton Oilers have inked NCAA free agent forward Joseph Gambardella to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Gambardella, a native of Staten Island, New York who turned 23 in December, spent the past few seasons with the UMass-Lowell River Hawks of the NCAA, where he racked up 47 goals and 82 assists in 151 career games. Gambardella’s 52 points in 41 games this season was the best on his team, and was good for 11th in NCAA. He also became the first ever UMass-Lowell player to win the Walter Brown Trophy for best American-born forward in New England, beating out names like Clayton Keller, Colin White, Charlie McAvoy, and Tage Thompson for the honour.
There’s no word yet on what bonuses Gambardella will receive on his entry-level deal or what his cap hit would be. His contract will begin in 2017-18, but according to EliteProspects he’ll be joining the Bakersfield Condors for the remainder of the AHL season.
What do we know about him? Not much. There seems to be limited information available about him as a player, but there are a few interesting nuggets available:
“He’s certainly developed over four years. He’s a substance player. Aesthetically, he may not look perfect, but, at the end of the night, he produces. He’s always a plus player. He’s a glue guy in the locker room. I can’t say enough about Joseph Gambardella. He comes from great stock, great family.” – UMass-Lowell head coach Norm Bazin, March 19, 2017.
“Joe Gambardella has developed greatly as a man and a student athlete throughout his four year. He has become one of the elite offensive threats in Hockey East due to his work ethic and persistence. He is a true example of what a student-athlete should stand for on and off the ice.” – U-Mass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin, March 22, 2017.
“Gambardella scored those 17 goals on only 64 shots, by far the fewest of any skater in the top 50. So when he takes aim, chances are good things happen. His value on the ice is also reflected in his plus/minus rating of plus-16; he’s also tied for the first in the country with six game-winning goals. And the River Hawks own a 19-4-2 record when Gambardella scores a point. – Stephen Hart, SI, March 10, 2017.
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