Former Toronto Mapale Leafs defense man joins superstar MCDavid, Draistal in Edmonton
Taking a gamble on former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott, the Edmonton Oilers were hoping to create a bit of a statement this offseason in terms of strengthening their defense. Earlier on Friday, Edmonton confirmed the signing on their X account, confirming rumors that the 27-year-old was being added on a PTO to test his ability to deepen the team’s defense.
Superstars Connor McDavid, with whom he played two years as a member of the Erie Otters, Leon Draisaitl, and Zach Hyman are among the players Dermott joins. He’s hoping to fill the void left by Philip Broberg, who abandoned the St. Louis Blues after receiving an offer sheet. Like Broberg, he might find himself squaring up with Brett Kulak in the third grouping or playing on either side of the rink.
Dermott was selected 34th overall by the Maple Leafs in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and he played for the team from 2017 to 2022. In 251 games with the Leafs, he recorded 12 goals and 40 assists before being sent to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for a 2022 third-round pick. He only skated in 28 games for the Canucks, totaling 3 points, during his brief stay in Vancouver. Following his stint with the Canucks, he inked a contract with Arizona, where he played for the struggling Coyotes for 50 games and finished with 2 goals and 5 assists, which was a better season statistically.
Dermott has ties to a few Oilers players from his time as an Erie teammate of two seasons, as well as current head coach Kris Knoblauch, who he played for in Erie. Along with Zach Hyman, he also reunites with Connor Brown, a former teammate from both the Erie and Maple Leafs.
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