Former Maple Leafs Shockingly Placed On Waivers By The Oilers, per Elliotte Friedman
Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott was placed on waivers by the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday in a bit of a shocking roster move.
The Edmonton Oilers needed to shore up their defensive depth this offseason and did so by adding former Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott.
Initially expected to bring veteran depth, he hasn't shown the potential Edmonton hoped for.
It's still surprising then to see that the Oilers have placed the defenseman on waivers Thursday, as reported by Elliotte Friedman on X.
Who Is Travis Dermott?
Dermott had zero points in ten games with the Oilers this season.
Originally signed by the team to a one-year deal for the league minimum, the former Leafs defenseman did not find the same success level as former Buds like Zach Hyman and Connor Brown.
Originally drafted by the Maple Leafs 34th overall in 2015, he enjoyed moderate success with the team including a career-high 17 points in 2018-19.
After five seasons in Toronto, he headed to Vancouver in a trade for a third-round draft pick.
He never reached the same heights as he did in Toronto and has struggled to find consistent playing time this year.
He is still only 27 years old and a very cheap depth option for teams looking to add some insurance.
For his career, Dermott has 62 points in 339 games but is a consistent body-checking and shot-blocking defenseman, and any team that picks him up can only benefit.
Edmonton's defense this season has been fairly solid all year, and with the third pairing of Brett Kulak and Ty Emberson holding down the fort; unless injuries or a complete disaster happened, Dermott was hard pressed to find minutes.
Teams looking for a cheap defensive option who offers potential, youth, NHL experience, and solid metrics should keep Dermott in mind, and try to snatch him up.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 12 | 1146 ANSWERS Former Maple Leafs Shockingly Placed On Waivers By The Oilers, per Elliotte Friedman Should Toronto claim Travis Dermott off waivers? | ||
| Yes | 293 | 25.6 % |
| No | 853 | 74.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
