The Edmonton Oilers announced on Thursday that they have signed college free agent forward Owen Michaels to a one-year entry-level contract (ELC) that begins in the 2026-27 season. Oilers Now host Bob Stuaffer writes that the team has been working on the recruitment of Michaels for a while. "A priority for Stan Bowman & Kalle Larsson, Senior Director of Player Development." Michaels was the MVP of the NCAA Frozen Four in 2025 with Western Michigan. Prospect Analyst Steven Ellis notes [https://x.com/SEllisHockey/status/2039745573687841151?s=20], "Michaels was a big reason why Western Michigan won the NCAA title last year. Really competitive. Good support player who gets the puck where it needs to be. Can drive the play under pressure. Michaels played three seasons at Western Michigan University (NCHC). He served as team captain in 2025-26 and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist/nominee. The 6'2", 185 lbs center played a major role in Western Michigan’s first NCAA national championship in 2024-25. He earned Most Outstanding Player honors in 2025. Owen Michaels signed by the Oilers © Jeff Curry Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/f966966b-ff20-46f6-9fb8-77e837f53595.jpeg] Owen Michaels signed by the Oilers © Jeff Curry Imagn Images The Athletic describes [https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7052774/2026/02/26/nhl-free-agents-ncaa-europe-2026/] him as a good-sized, hard-working two-way center who skates decently, wins faceoffs, and provides energy, physical play, and some offensive upside. Scouts note he’s not a pure natural scorer but has enough skill and hockey sense to contribute at the pro level. Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/] team site to never miss the latest news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news], game-day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/game-day] coverage, and more [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/players]. Add us to your Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwn-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen] favourites, and never miss a story.
