After showing up to Edmonton on a professional tryout, Travis Dermott has officially earned himself a spot on the Oilers’ roster for the 2024-25 NHL season. The 27-year-old defenceman inked a one-year, two-way contract with an AAV of $775,000, marking his fourth NHL team since breaking into the league in 2017.

Dermott came into camp with everything to prove, and he did a fine job of playing his role as effectively as possible. Known for his steady defensive game and ability to chip in offensively from time to time, he made enough of an impression on the coaching staff to land a contract for the 2024-25 season, beating out a player like Josh Brown who was signed to a three-year deal in free agency.

Last season, Dermott played for the now defunct Arizona Coyotes, appearing in 50 games and posting two goals and five assists for seven points while averaging 17:17 in TOI. Over the course of his seven years in the league, he’s played 329 games in the NHL, with stints in Toronto, Vancouver, and Arizona before joining the Oilers for the upcoming season. In total, Dermott has accumulated 16 goals and 42 assists for 62 points to go along with 128 PIMs.

For the Oilers, adding Dermott provides valuable depth on the blue line. While his contract is two-way, meaning he could be sent down to Bakersfield if needed, his NHL experience and ability to play on both sides will likely keep him in the mix as the season progresses. Given the injuries that often come up during the long grind of an 82-game season, having a veteran like Dermott ready to jump in is a smart move for Edmonton’s management.

For Dermott, the opportunity to stay in the NHL with a contender like the Oilers has to feel good given that he hasn’t had a sniff of playoff action since 2020-21 with the Maple Leafs. He came to Edmonton on a PTO with no guarantees, worked hard through training camp, and earned his way onto the roster by outplaying a guy in Josh Brown who many expected to lock in the job as the 7th defenceman given his contract. Competition like this is the exact kind of story you love to see, especially when a player bets on himself and gets rewarded for it.

With Dermott now officially on board, the Oilers’ defensive depth chart is locked in for the start of the year, and it will be interesting to see how this group fares over the coming months. For a lot of Oilers fans, the defence is a major question mark heading into the season, and it will be up to players like Dermott to give the team responsible minutes and to avoid forcing the organization into a trade before their ready.

While we’ll have to wait and see how many games Dermott actually gets into this season, you have to appreciate that the guy came into camp and played well enough to earn a contract. Only time will tell if this move is the right one, but at $775,000 on a two-way deal, the team did a nice job of limiting their risk that low on the lineup.