Last week, Cam wrote about Joey LaLeggia being the only Oiler to file for arbitration and today I’m writing about the shiny new contract that he got himself. 

Having a player file for arbitration and then sign long before the hearing is nothing new, and that’s exactly what happened with Joey LaLeggia today. According to Elliott Friedman, the defenceman turned forward’s new contract is a one-year (two-way) deal worth $700K if he plays at the NHL level. With the Condors being so shallow on the wings, it made sense to bring the player back to see if he can continue his development and bring some depth to an otherwise shallow talent pool.

Will LaLeggia ever make the big dance? Probably not. That said, he has a nice range of skills that will help at the AHL level and bringing him back is a small step towards ensuring that the Condors are competing for the playoffs. Edmonton has a bunch of forwards ahead of LaLeggia on the depth chart which means he’s likely to finish this one-year contract in Bakersfield but that doesn’t mean he’s not a useful player. In the very least, LaLeggia creates more competition amongst his fellow defenceman forwards and that’s important for an organization that has had a long tradition of gifting spots to prospects that may not be ready for prime time.

Welcome back, Joey Legs. May you score 1000 goals this year or prevent 1000 goals, or whatever it is that the coaches need from you on that given day.