As the Edmonton Oilers prepared to face the Boston Bruins on Thursday, all eyes were on forward Trent Frederic in his return to Beantown. The player acquired in a significant three-team trade last March continues his search for a defined role within the Oilers' lineup.
A Fourth-Line Assignment
For the matchup against his former club, Frederic was pencilled in as the fourth-line centre, a far cry from the expectations that accompanied his arrival. With no anticipated duty on special teams to boost his ice time, he started the game between winger Max Jones—another piece from the same nine-month-old trade with Boston and New Jersey—and recent call-up Quinn Hutson from Bakersfield.
While the fourth-line centre role can be valuable, as demonstrated by the injured Curtis Lazar's strong penalty-killing and 59.6% faceoff win rate over nearly 100 draws, it's not what the Oilers envisioned for Frederic. This reality is underscored by the eight-year, $3.85 million average annual value contract General Manager Stan Bowman awarded him.
Offensive Struggles Define Season
Frederic's placement is a reflection of his ongoing offensive challenges. Through 34 games, he has managed just two goals and one assist. Notably, both goals came against elite goaltenders Igor Shesterkin and Andrei Vasilevskiy on the road. His lone assist was a slick setup for David Tomasek.
His ice time has dwindled, averaging just 9:39 per game across eight contests in December. While a breakout performance against his old team remains a possibility—a common narrative in sports—starting on the fourth line signals his current standing within the team's hierarchy.
Roster Logjam and Future Decisions
The situation highlights a broader roster congestion for the Oilers. David Tomasek, the beneficiary of Frederic's lone helper, was a healthy scratch for the Bruins game—his 14th scratch in the last 25 games. Despite three goals and five points this season, the 29-year-old Swedish League scoring champion has seemingly not won over head coach Kris Knoblauch.
The forward logjam is set to worsen. Injured players Jack Roslovic, Kasperi Kapanen, and potentially Noah Philp are nearing returns, which would push Tomasek further down the depth chart. This surplus raises questions about potential roster moves, including whether a natural centre like Tomasek, who signed as a free agent, could be traded if he seeks more playing time.
For now, Trent Frederic remains in the lineup, but his hunt for a significant role with the Edmonton Oilers continues, with his performance and the team's roster decisions being closely watched.
