Edmonton Oilers Free Agent Signing Demoted to Lowest Possible Level
The Edmonton Oilers made a strange free agent signing this year when they brought in 30 year old Josh Brown to a three year contract, and it hasn't turned out well.
Brown was given a three year term on his contract despite having limited NHL experience for his age, and poor results on rebuilding teams. The Oilers were perhaps hoping for a right shot defenceman with a physical presence like Brown, but his play was so bad in preseason that he was sent to the AHL. Now with the Bakersfield Condors, Brown has been moved down the lineup to the third pairing.
Thankfully Brown's salary is fully buriable in the minors, and his cap hit won't affect the Oilers this season. Still, it was a mistake to make such a lengthy commitment to a depth veteran defenceman with poor results in his career. The Oilers were later able to sign better defenceman in Travis Dermott and Troy Stecher for lesser contracts, proving that they simply overpaid for Brown. Many Oilers fans were simply bewildered they'd even sign a player with Brown's resume.
Josh Brown has played 290 career NHL games since his career began with the Florida Panthers back in the 2018-19 season. Since then he's played with the Ottawa Senators, Boston Bruins, and Arizona Coyotes. On the Panthers and Bruins, Brown played limited minutes and was scratched for most playoff games.
Given the size of their commitment to Brown and his past NHL experience, it's still possible that the Oilers call up Brown for a few games this season to fill in for injuries. For now, Brown needs to find a way to contribute as a leader for the Oilers farmhands in the AHL.
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