Travis Dermott is taking another spin in Edmonton, as the Oilers picked him up from the waiver wire today. Dermott started the year with the Oilers before the Minnesota Wild scooped him up in December.
Travis Dermott Comes Around
Welcome back, Travis Dermott!
The #Oilers have claimed the left-shot defenceman via waivers from Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/6grwHibKYv
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) February 26, 2025
Dermott was originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs as a second-round pick in 2015. He broke into the league in 2017-18, getting 37 games on their third pair.
Since then, he’s run hot and cold, being good enough for the NHL but usually at the 6-7 position. He eventually signed a two-year deal with Toronto but was traded to Vancouver partway through the first year.
One year, two-way deals followed in Arizona and Edmonton before he was placed on waivers for Minnesota to grab. In his first run with Edmonton, he played 10 games with little to show for it. In Minnesota, he got nine with much the same results.
What Happens Now
Travis Dermott has found a role as a reasonably mobile defender who can get in the way of pucks. He’s trusted as a second-unit penalty killer but doesn’t provide much more than that. He is, on the other hand, very cheap. His contract is for $775,000 and expires at the end of the season.
He should stay with the team as depth, even if this doesn’t mean any other moves are coming. Edmonton has to see themselves as a Stanley Cup contender, at the very least making a long playoff run. The grind through the second season is hard, and having plenty of NHL-capable defensemen isn’t a bad idea.
With Mattias Ekholm, Darnell Nurse, and Brett Kulak on the left side, it’s hard to see Travis Dermott making the team. But they obviously liked what they saw from him enough to get him back. Maybe this time they’ll hang on.
Main Photo: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
