Adam Henrique Deserves to Be On an NHL Roster in 2026-27

We are almost a month and a half removed from the beginning of the new league year and there are still some notable names left unsigned on the free agent market. One of those players is Adam Henrique, who played last season with the Edmonton Oilers. While he will turn 37 during in the 2026-27 season, I believe the veteran centre still provides value to whichever team decides to pick him up.

Many teams have set the precedent of signing veteran guys to low-risk, high-reward deals in the past. The Oilers are a great example of this, when they signed Corey Perry back in 2024 and then later re-upped him in the offseason. These deals sometimes don’t work out, whether it’s the player or the team fit, but I believe it’s a solid risk to take and Henrique fits the bill as a guy that could play well on a few teams next season.

Offensive Numbers

Henrique has never been an offensive juggernaut, even at the peak of his career, but he always produces consistently and is an exceptional playmaker. He posted one of his lowest seasons in 2025-26 with just three goals and 15 points, but other than that it’s been smooth sailing for him. The four seasons prior to last season saw point totals of 27, 51, 38, and 42.

His offensive output took a hit last season, but that comes with age and a significant decrease in ice time. Henrique does what he needs for his role and I would bet he can still post around 20 points in a fourth line spot for a new team next season in the right situation. He likes to shoot the puck and is fairly efficient when he does outside of last season. He holds a career shooting percentage of just under 15%.

Henrique also brings an intelligent mindset to any offence and can create goals and plays anytime. He ranked inside the top 10 on the Oilers last season in created expected goals and expected goals. His production may not always be there like the stars, but he seems to be right around it.

Defensive Stats

Defence is more of what Henrique is known for. He has received Selke Trophy votes in his career multiple times and is a menace in the face off dot. He currently holds a 50.6% career mark in the circle. He also blocks a lot of shots and is consistently a part of teams’ penalty kill plans everywhere he goes. He is a sort of do-it-all guy when it comes to protecting his own end.

Henrique ranked eighth on the Oilers last season in defensive zone giveaways with just 13 and a face off percentage of 54%. Fans might not have been the most impressed with his play at times; however let it be known he did his part in multiple facets.

Who Should Pick Up Henrique

The Oilers have some young options and a fairly strong forward group moving into the season that they can afford to let Henrique move on. Here are a few teams I believe should give him a look.

New Jersey Devils: Why not a little reunion? Henrique was drafted by the Devils back in 2008 and was with them until he was traded in late-2017. It would also be a reunion with former Oiler Connor Brown who he played some extremely good playoff hockey with and it would be another potential piece to the puzzle that New Jersey is trying to figure out and build a contender.

Montreal Canadiens: The Habs are a young team on the cusp of getting to the big dance in June and after losing a couple key veterans, someone like Henrique with Stanley Cup Final experience could be huge for their room. It’s always good to have a mix of players on your team at all ages and skill sets, so this is a solid opportunity for both sides.

Chicago Blackhawks: The ‘Hawks are another young team; however, they’re not nearly as close as Montreal to a Cup run. They have guys like Connor Bedard and Bowen Byram to lead the way, but the more voices the better. They’ve lost leaders like Nick Foligno and Taylor Hall who have been there the last couple seasons to guide them, so someone like Henrique would be great to have both in the locker room and in the bottom-six to round out the roster.

There’s an argument to be made for probably a couple other teams, but the main point is that Henrique should be dressed for the first game of the new season; hopefully a general manager or coach somewhere sees that.