In much the same way, the Oilers have shown a fondness for players who used to suit up down the hallway with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Since the franchise returned in 2007, six former Oil Kings have played for the Oilers. This season featured two of them: Tristan Jarry, whom Edmonton acquired in a midseason trade, and veteran centreman Curtis Lazar. While Jarry had a turbulent season, Lazar fulfilled a necessary role for cheap, making him arguably the most successful Oil King alumnus to play for the Oilers.

The Ottawa Senators selected Lazar 17th overall in the 2013 draft after a 61-point WHL campaign. Over the following two seasons, he won a Memorial Cup with the Oil Kings and a World Junior gold medal for Canada. Early in his career, he was a highly touted prospect and a proven winner.

Despite the talent he displayed in junior, Lazar’s game quickly stagnated in the NHL. He couldn’t find a way to break through offensively and settled in as a bottom-six player, instead leaning on his physicality and defensive ability to remain in the league.

The Oilers signed Lazar last summer to a low-risk contract worth $775,000 to play the veteran depth centre role formerly held by Derek Ryan.

This season, he scored six points in 45 games, won 61.2 per cent of his faceoffs and ate up 33 seconds per game on the penalty kill. Fans rarely jump out of their seats for Lazar, but coaches value his veteran experience and responsible game.

As a journeyman bottom-six forward, Lazar is no stranger to drawing in and out of the lineup, which he did frequently in 2025-26, both as a healthy scratch and due to an injury that took him out of action for three weeks in March. Apparently, Edmonton missed him when he was gone.

With Lazar in the lineup this season, the Oilers had a 25-15-5 record, good for a .611 points percentage. Without him, they fared much worse, with a 16-15-6 record and an average .514 points percentage. Some of that may be a coincidence, but he did make a notable defensive impact at even strength, allowing just 2.24 goals against per hour.

According to HockeyViz, he drove offence at a four per cent rate below league average, but the Oilers never signed Lazar to move the needle offensively. He was brought in to help their young players, drive defensive results and bolster their centre depth. Given the expectations, his season was a success.

I don’t expect Henrique to be back with the team next season, so don’t be surprised if Lazar re-ups when he hits free agency this summer to give the Oilers a cheap veteran option for the fourth line.

The Toyota Tacoma is the ultimate power play. Its standard i-FORCE engine delivers more power than ever and a towing capacity of up to 6,400 lbs. It helps you take on challenging landscapes with confidence with its available Panoramic Multi-Terrain View Monitor that provides a live, underfloor view of the terrain you’re tackling. It even makes loading and unloading gear effortless with its available Power Liftgate. Whether it’s for early morning practice or weekend away games, the Tacoma is a teammate you can rely on. Visit your local Prairie Toyota dealer during Red Tag Days for limited-time offers.