The Oilers face a significant cap penalty imposed by the NHL

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Ryan Hall
November 2, 2023 (8:09)

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There was much anticipation over the summer when General Manager Ken Holland decided to acquire Oilers winger Connor Brown through unrestricted free agency.

The idea was to rekindle the chemistry that existed between Brown and Oilers superstar Connor McDavid, as they were linemates during their time with the Erie Otters in the OHL.

However, with eight games played, it appears that the expected magic has not materialized, as Brown has struggled to find his groove with the team and McDavid. Brown has yet to record any points and holds a -5 rating, with an average ice time of 15 minutes and 35 seconds.

In addition to these dismal numbers, the Oilers now face a more pressing issue related to cap space, given that Brown is due a $3.225 million performance bonus.

Ken Holland managed to sign him to a one-year deal with a cap hit of $775,000. However, the total value of his contract is $4 million, with $3.225 million being backloaded. If he plays 10 games this season, the bonus overage of $2.84 million will be charged against next season's cap, which could be a tough pill to swallow if his performance does not improve.

The Oilers must decide whether to waive him now or accept the overage and hope for improvement shortly. Only time will tell if such improvement is forthcoming.

The Oilers will play their next game at home against the Dallas Stars on November 2nd, with the game scheduled to start at 9:00 PM Eastern Time.