Zack Kassian Joins Oilers In New Role
The 12-year NHL veteran rejoins the Oilers as a pro scout in Ontario.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports - Zack Kassian Joins Oilers In New RoleThe start of training camp doesn't just mean the return of hockey. It also means personnel announcements.
Anyone reading the Edmonton Oilers media guide today was pleasantly surprised: former Oiler Zack Kassian has rejoined the organization as a scout.
Kassian played for the Edmonton Oilers for seven years, scoring 135 points in 412 games from 2015-16 to 2021-22. "Kass" was a polarizing player among Oilers fans, earning praise for his physical play while frustrating others with his consistently poor on-ice results.
Kassian became an Oilers folk hero during their 2017 playoff run, particularly in the second game of their first-round series against San Jose. In that game, he was a force of nature, laying massive hits on Brenden Dillon and Logan Couture before opening the scoring with a shorthanded breakaway goal. The Oilers went on to win that game and the series.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCl6OVgxcTI[/embed]
Kassian played the 2022-23 with the Arizona Coyotes, and announced his retirement from the NHL in October 2023. He signed with Sparta Praha of the Czech league in January, playing eight games before hanging his skates up for good.
Kassian returns to the Oilers as a pro scout based in his home province of Ontario. Kassian isn't the only high-profile name on the Oilers' scouting staff. Last October, the team hired Dani Rylan-Kearney, the founder and former National Women's Hockey League commissioner, as a pro scout.
At this time, Kassian has not been added to the Oilers website as a scout. I'd expect that to change in the coming days.
*Update: The Oilers have officially added Kassian as a pro scout on the team website. They did this yesterday at the same time that they announced other changes to their scouting, analytics, and player development department.
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