The Edmonton Oilers have signed defender Jason Demers on a one-year contract, the club announced Sunday.
Demers, 34, joined the Oilers before training camp for a pro tryout, but the club never signed him to the NHL. Instead, he signed a professional tryout and began the years with the Oilers’ affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors.
A veteran of 699 NHL games, Demers is considered a leader in the young Condors club. He has appeared in 24 games this season and has nine points, all of them assists, and is tied for second in team scoring among defensemen.
As part of the signing, the Oilers placed Demers on waivers with the intention of waiving the Condors.
Demers became the 44th contract touched this year, a nice nod to the work he’s done so far this season. In the grand scheme of things, Demers is an unlikely recall unless there are casualties. At the same time, there is a world where he can be summoned at any time. We’ve seen the Oilers’ defensive woes, and Demers has always been a solid defender in his area. However, I don’t think this is close to being an answer.
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