It probably takes a lot for a player to be labeled as having one of the 10-worst contracts in a league where over 1600 contracts. That means you fall into the less than 1%. Interestingly, not only did the Edmonton Oilers have one player land there, they had two. 

Both Trent Frederic and Jake Walman made Dom Luszczszyn's list of the 10 worst contracts. 

Is that fair?

Coming in at No. 6 was Trent Frederic. With seven years remaining on a deal that pays him $3.9 million per season, the value probability was 5%. 

Luszczszyn writes that the money is around what a third- or sometimes fourth-line player might make. However, he adds:

"The problem is that Frederic’s own performance last year dropped him even further below that line, where he’s now firmly in fourth-line territory. And not a quality fourth-liner either. Frederic had just seven points in 74 games last season and was a real drag at five-on-five. His contract now feels like a complete anchor where he’s being paid nearly $4 million to be basically replacement level."

Luszczyszyn doesn't rule out that Frederic can find another level and become a third-liner again. He needs to be healthy, and even then, it's hard to know what kind of player he'll be. 

The scribe adds:

"A new coach and more opportunity could get Frederic back on track, but for now that’s a tough sell after his performance over the past two seasons. Even if he does return, his contract is still a lesson for other teams: Don’t give extreme term to depth players — especially if it doesn’t come with any notable AAV discount. Even in a rising cap world, that lesson remains true."

One spot below Frederic was Jake Walman. On a new contract that pays him $7 million x seven years, he's at 13 percent for value. The real knock on Walman seems to be that he was signed right after Connor McDavid announced his sweetheart extension. Walman is going to be linked the timing of that news, which may not be fair. 

Essentially, the narrative is that the Oilers used every dime McDavid saved them on Walman. That puts some pressure on him to perform, which he didn't in 2025-26. 

Injuries played a key role. That said, he's also inconsistent. 

Luszczszyn wrote:

"The problem is how erratic Walman’s annual output has been over the past four seasons; he might be one of the league’s most inconsistent players. That means the Oilers bought him at a high, expecting a No. 3 for a majority of the deal. Walman played far below that level in 2025-26, enough to put him in No. 4 territory going into 2026-27 — with a trajectory well below what his paycheck entails. Walman’s history suggests that some patience should’ve been exercised, perhaps, but a large onus on Walman’s placement on this list currently falls on him. He didn’t hold up his end of the bargain immediately after signing."

If Walman had been healthy, he probably isn't on this list. Alas, it's going to take a solid 2026-27 season to get him off of it. 

Given how many players don't make a list of the 10 worst, one could certainly argue that there are worse deals here that were overlooked. 

Darnell Nurse isn't on the list. That might shock a few Oilers fans. 

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