logo
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
Oilers sign defenceman Atro Leppänen to one-year contract extension
Edmonton Oilers Bakersfield Condors Atro Leppanen
Photo credit: Jay Calderon/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Ryley Delaney
Feb 2, 2026, 15:00 ESTUpdated: Feb 2, 2026, 15:35 EST
Comments
The Edmonton Oilers have extended a defenceman currently playing with the Bakersfield Condors.
With the news that Calvin Pickard cleared waivers, the team also announced that they’ve signed left-shot defenceman Atro Leppänen to a one-year extension. If he’s playing in the National Hockey League, the contract carries a cap hit of $850,000.
Leppänen is one of a handful of intriguing players who has spent his 2025-26 season with the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors. The 27-year-old defenceman has played 28 games with the Condors in 2025-26, scoring three goals and 20 points in 28 games. He’s also spent a portion of the 2025-26 season out with an injury, playing as the Condors have played a total of 43 games this season.
The left-shot Finn is coming off a 2024-25 where he led the entire SM-Liiga in points with 63, finding twine for 21 goals. It was a significant jump from his 2023-24 season, where he had 12 goals and 28 points in 55 games, but not totally unsurprising as he had 23 goals and 58 points in Finland’s second-tier in 2022-23.
Although he’s a little old to be considered a prospect, Leppänen had a strong pre-season with the Oilers, including being one of the best players on the ice during the NextGen games. The left-shot defenceman is a puck-moving defenceman with strong skating, and with a full season in adjusting to North America hockey, it’s not inconceivable that Leppänen gets a look in the National Hockey League next season.
As it stands, he’s a little further down the depth charts, with the Oilers already having seven defencemen on the active roster, four of which are left-shot defencemen. When the Oilers have needed a player to fill in, they’ve turned to Riley Stillman this season and Cam Dineen the season before.
There are a handful of young players who’ve helped the Condors become a playoff team in the AHL’s Pacific Division. The Oilers have already got a look at Quinn Hutson, Connor Clattenburg, Ike Howard, and Josh Samanski, the latter remains with the team at the moment. However, other interesting young players are Viljami Marjala, Roby Järventie, Damien Carfagna, Samuel Poulin, Beau Akey, and netminder Connor Ungar.
Leppänen’s contract extension is well deserved for a defenceman who’s bound to get a look by the end of the 2026-27 season.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Oilersnation, FlamesNation, and Blue Jays Nation. Follow her on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.

ARTICLE PRESENTED BY bet365

News

Featured

Breaking News