The Edmonton Oilers took to Twitter on Thursday night to announce that they have recalled defenseman Jason Demers from the Bakersfield Condors. This move surprised many as this team has been playing incredible hockey as of late and have no new injuries to report. In this article, however, I will help explain the logic behind this move.
For those who don’t remember, Demers attended Oilers training camp on a professional tryout offer (PTO) and eventually signed a one-year, two-way deal in December. He has since played in 55 games with the Condors, registering 18 assists along with 75 penalty minutes.
A Well-Deserved Opportunity for Demers
Getting this recall has to mean the world for Demers, who despite not having played in the NHL since 2020-21 has continued to grind it out in hopes of another opportunity. The 34-year-old was unable to find work in 2021-22, and as a result headed to the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) where he played with Kazan Ak-Bars. Wanting another crack at the NHL, however, he chose to return to North America for the 2022-23 campaign, and is getting rewarded for his hard work.
While there is a chance he could get into all three of the Oilers’ final games depending on how he plays, this move is believed to have been made in order to help him get to 700 games in his NHL career. The veteran has managed 699 so far combined between the San Jose Sharks, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers and the Arizona Coyotes. During that time, he has amassed 45 goals and 214 points.
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Another reason for this move, as pointed out by TSN’s Jason Gregor, is that Cody Ceci has left the team and returned to Edmonton as his wife, Jamie, is expecting. That pretty well guarantees he will be out of the lineup for the Oilers’ Saturday afternoon tilt against the San Jose Sharks, though a return on April 11 (Tuesday) versus the Colorado Avalanche remains a possibility.
Though very unlikely, this move will also help Demers get up to NHL speed if the Oilers were to find themselves in dire need of a defenseman for the playoffs. As mentioned, it is very unlikely given how far he is down the depth chart, but injuries do happen and his 61 career playoff games in the NHL could prove valuable if needed.
McLeod Moved to LTIR
In order to make the recalling of Demers work from a salary cap perspective, the Oilers also announced that Ryan McLeod has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR). The 23-year-old has been out of the lineup since March 15 due to an upper-body ailment.
The good news is that it doesn’t sound like McLeod has suffered a setback, and because of how long he has been out he could be activated as soon as Tuesday night versus the Avalanche. Though he has struggled to stay healthy, he has been solid this season with 11 goals and 22 points through 55 games.
Oilers Still Tracking Down Pacific Division Title
What doesn’t bode well for Demers getting in more than a single game is that the Oilers still have plenty to play for despite having already clinched a playoff spot. Thanks to their most recent win over the Anaheim Ducks, they sit three points back of the Vegas Golden Knights for first place in the Pacific Division, while also holding a three-point lead over the Los Angeles Kings.
As mentioned, Demers could get an opportunity to play in numerous games with a strong showing, but it is also possible that head coach Jay Woodcroft looks to get his regulars in for the final game or two to ensure they are fully in sync come the playoffs. Nonetheless, this move allows Demers to hit a major milestone in his career, and could help get him up to speed if by some chance he is needed during the postseason.