Big contract, big expectations. Yet, this Oiler struggles to find his game, losing minutes and failing to deliver the gritty impact fans crave.
Trent Frederic entered the 2025-26 NHL season with high expectations after signing an eight-year extension with the Edmonton Oilers. Brought in to add depth scoring, physicality, and an edge to a team that lost several of those types of players this summer, Frederic’s start has left the Oilers disappointed.
The forward began the season playing alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, an opportunity few players would get and many would relish. It wasn't a good fit. The experiment didn't last, and Frederic was quickly put back down on the third line, where he was playing alongside other more physical forecheckers. Still, he's not taking advantage of a golden opportunity.
Frederic has yet to make a noticeable difference in the role the Oilers saw for him. In a recent game against Montreal, his ice time was the second-lowest on the team at 10:55, and he registered just three hits. This is a player who can change a game with a gritty shift, yet he's not running around with much physical presence.
Head coach Kris Knoblauch admitted the team has higher expectations of Frederic. “He’s a player that we’re going to rely on to play a little on the edge, some physicality. And right now, we’d like to see a little bit more from him,” Knoblauch said. “He does want to contribute, wants to play well. We’ve moved him around a lot, whether that’s been right wing, left wing, centre, hopefully we can have some stability for him so he can play to his identity. I think he’s just trying to find his game and I have no doubt he’ll get there.”
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Knoblauch did defend Frederic in saying that he still sees the forward as a new arrival this season. While he was with Edmonton to end last season, Frederic was hurt and not 100 percent, even in the games he did get into. For any new player, it takes some time to find their way on a new team.
The Oilers are hoping he can figure it out soon. Frederic’s long-term contract indicates the Oilers’ belief in his potential. At the same time, the kind of play where he's not as noticeable as he could be can only last so long before Edmonton starts to wonder if the eight-year deal was a sign they jumped the gun.
So far, Frederic has lost his spot on the top line and is losing minutes on the ice as the Oilers try to find their way as a team. He's not the only player starting slowly, and the struggles as a group might have a snowball effect. But, as they say about a forward who isn't scoring or producing, you have to find another way to make an impact. Frederic has the temperament and size to throw his weight around. He simply needs to choose to do so.
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