The Edmonton Oilers recently acquired Trent Frederic from the Boston Bruins, and there’s plenty to like about the rugged forward.
The former first-round draft pick is very versatile—he can play wing or at center, has experience playing on the PK, and has scored 43 goals over the last three seasons. Oh, and did I mention he’s 6-foot-3, 221 pounds, and tough as nails?
Moreover, according to hockeyfights.com, he has 41 fights under his belt between the AHL and NHL. After reviewing his bouts, a couple of things stand out—he’s got a knack for knowing when his team needs a lift and doesn’t hesitate to come to the aid of a teammate.
That said, to introduce you to the new Oiler, we’ve compiled his ten best fights in the NHL. Enjoy!
Frederic Unleashed Haymakers on Brandon Tanev in His NHL Debut
Frederic was called up midway through the 2018-2019 season and made his NHL debut on Jan. 29, 2019, leaving a major impression against the Winnipeg Jets.
A scrum broke out, and Frederic got tied up with Tyler Myers. The recently re-acquired Jet, Brandon Tanev pulled the then-Bruin out of the pile, and Frederic didn’t hesitate—he unleashed a flurry of punches, haymakers, and uppercuts, winning the fight in his NHL debut.
Additionally, one of the best moments of the whole ordeal came on the broadcast when the camera panned to Frederic’s parents, who high-fived each other after their son’s decisive win.
Frederic Threw Some Hammers at Kulikov After Hitting Kaprizov
Trailing 2-1 against the Minnesota Wild on Jan. 6, 2022, Frederic delivered a big hit on Wild superstar Kirill Kaprizov, who was slow to get up.
Former Oiler Dmitry Kulikov stepped in to defend his teammate, pulling Frederic out of the pile. Though the Wild defenceman instigated the fight, it was the then-Bruins forward who did most of the damage, landing seven or eight shots before taking Kulikov to the ice. The scrap fired up the TD Garden crowd—exactly the kind of energy the Oilers hope Frederic can bring to Rogers Place.
Frederic Picked a Fighting Partner in Goodrow, as Two Fights Broke Out
On Nov. 3, 2022, with the game tied, Frederic carried the puck into the New York Rangers’ zone when Braden Schneider leveled him with a heavy hit and AJ Greer went after the Rangers D-man.
While Greer and Schneider went at it, Frederic found a dance partner of his own, going toe-to-toe with Barclay Goodrow and landing some heavy shots, before the linemates came in and broke them up.
Frederic Had Lengthy Fight with Kevin Bahl, Heating Up Midway Through
Against the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 28, 2022, with the game still scoreless, Frederic looked to spark some energy for his team and found a willing combatant in Kevin Bahl, now with the Calgary Flames.
This bout was one of Frederic’s longest, lasting about 45 seconds and the now-Oiler started unloading heavy shots midway through the fight. He took the decisive win in the bout, and you have to admire his ability to mix things up when his team needs a spark. Additionally, the then-Bruin also scored in the game, snapping home a goal in the second period.
Frederic Countered Dylan Cozens With Some Heavy Bombs
With the Bruins leading 4-0, Frederic responded to a hit from Dylan Cozens with a slash, which led to both players dropping the mitts on March 19, 2023.
Cozens came out with some quick hands early in the fight, but the more punches Frederic took, the more fired up he got—reminding me of how Oilers D-man Darnell Nurse gets when he gets tagged a bunch of times in scraps. That said, Frederic fired back with heavy rights in a heated exchange.
Frederic One-Punches Lane Pedersen
The game was tied 1-1 between Boston and the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 30, 2023, when Frederic chose to square off with Lane Pederson, who is now with the Oilers’ affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
Frederic had about three inches in height and 33 pounds on Pederson, and it showed as he dropped Pederson to the ice with a single punch, and that was all she wrote, as the former Bruin got the TKO.
Frederic Jerseyed Andreas Englund and Landed Some Heavy Rights
On Oct. 21, 2023, with the Bruins leading 2-1 against the Los Angeles Kings, Frederic dropped the gloves with the 6-foot-4 Swedish D-man, Andreas Englund, now with the Nashville Predators.
Englund is a tough customer, having dropped the gloves with some true heavyweights over the last year and a half, including Mathieu Olivier and Matt Rempe. Yet, in this bout, Frederic landed some big punches, got Englund’s jersey over his head, and kept unloading with the D-man still tied up—taking the W in the end.
Frederic Punched Out Jacob Trouba After His Teammate Took a Hit
On Dec. 16, 2023, Frederic’s Bruins teammate, youngster Matthew Poitras, left the game after being hit from behind and crashing into the boards. That said, Frederic was out for revenge on the very next shift.
He found a willing combatant in former Ranger Jacob Trouba, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 212 pounds, and is no stranger to the rough stuff. After landing three punches, the St. Louis, MO, native sent the now Anaheim Duck blueliner to the ice.
Additionally, there’s some history between those two players. In November 2023, Trouba swung his stick at Frederic’s head and was fined $5,000. Regarding the fight, Frederic said, “I could never hit him hard enough as he hit me.” He added, “So, I’d have to fight him 10 times to do that. That’s what’s nice about hockey—you can’t do that in other sports.”
Frederic Had a Spirited Scrap with Oilers’ Corey Perry
Oilers fans should be familiar with this fight, when the former Bruin squared off against Corey Perry during Edmonton’s visit to Boston on Jan. 7, 2025.
The Oilers were leading 1-0 but were being badly outplayed by the Bruins when Frederic tried to spark his team by going after Perry. The 39-year-old Oiler hesitated at first, but they eventually dropped the mitts. Despite taking an extra two minutes in penalties, Frederic landed about 10 more punches than his opponent, winning the fight. Now, both will be teammates on the Oilers, and the thought of those two playing on the same line is music to Oilers fans’ ears and a potential nightmare for the opposition.
Frederic Introduced Emil Lilleberg’s Face to His Right Hand a Few Times
The Bruins were leading 4-0 in the second period on Jan. 14, 2025, when Frederic dropped the gloves with 6-foot-3, 208-pound Emil Lilleberg of the Tampa Bay Lightning, who has five fights this season.
That said, I wonder if Lilleberg mentioned before the tussle that he was hungry, because Frederic fed him a few knuckle sandwiches, throwing overhands and uppercuts, winning decisively—and even smiling in the win.
All in all, Frederic is as tough as they come, and his physicality will be a valuable asset for the Oilers. With that in mind, what are your thoughts on the Oilers’ acquisition of him?
