According to Tony Brar from Oilers TV, Trent Frederic’s lower-body injury will keep him out of the Oilers’ lineup for at least another two weeks. The 27-year-old came over in a trade with Boston on March 4 but was already hurt when the deal went down, so we’re all still waiting for his first skate in an Oilers jersey. It’s not the debut timeline anyone hoped for, but it is what it is, and the team is clearly being careful with his recovery.

When the trade happened, Chris Johnston from TSN noted that Trent Frederic might not play until the playoffs due to his lower-body injury, so the update that he’s out for at least two more weeks shouldn’t necessarily be surprising. Still, getting some regular-season action would undoubtedly help Frederic shake off the rust and build chemistry with his new teammates, but that’s obviously not possible even if it sucks. Even so, the timeline just got extended before the former-Bruin can make his Oilers debut.

The Oilers have been up-and-down over the last couple of weeks, and Trent Frederic’s addition would be about rounding out the lineup rather than fixing a glaring hole. He’s the kind of player who can create space by battling for position, being a dawg on the puck, and hunting down rebounds around the net. That’s a valuable, greasy skill set, especially as the season wears on and games get tighter. His physicality—152 hits this year with the Bruins—will give the team a different look down the lineup, something that could pay off when the intensity ramps up.

One of Frederic’s strengths is his flexibility. He can play centre or wing, which gives the Oilers options. He could slot into the third line with someone like Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or Adam Henrique, adding some muscle to a checking role. If needed, he’s capable of stepping in as the fourth-line centre too. There’s even a slim chance he could see a shift or two higher up with Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl—his net-front presence might mesh with their playmaking—but that’s likely a stretch for now. Either way, his versatility keeps the coaching staff from being locked into one spot for him.

Frederic put up eight goals and 15 points in 57 games with the Bruins this season, along with 44 penalty minutes and 155 hits. Last year, he finished 22nd among forwards with 204 hits. He’s not a point-per-game guy, and that’s fine—the Oilers didn’t bring him in to be a scoring machine. But at 6-foot-3, he’s a physical presence who can throw his weight around and chip in some offence from time to time, and those qualities are the reason he’s here. This roster needs some edge, and Frederic’s got the size and willingness to mix it up in front of the net and along the boards. If he pots a few goals while he’s at it, great, but his job is to bring the sandpaper.

The added two-week wait on his recovery certainly isn’t ideal, but it’s not a disaster. Since we have yet to see what he can do in an Oilers uniform, Frederic’s return will be a boost rather than a necessity. Once he’s healthy, I expect Knoblauch to slot him into a middle-six role and for Frederic to bring the kind of physical game that’s been inconsistent in that part of the lineup. This team’s got plenty of skill up top with McDavid and Draisaitl (when they come back), but depth players like Frederic—who can wear opponents down—matter just as much in the long haul. Here’s hoping he’ll be worth it when he’s finally able to get back on the ice. But as Tony Brar reported on Friday, the wait just got a little bit longer.