On Friday (Dec. 26) morning, the Edmonton Oilers announced that they will be placing forward David Tomasek on waivers for the purpose of a mutual contract termination.
The #Oilers will be placing forward David Tomasek on waivers Sunday for the purpose of contract termination. https://t.co/2S6QExcSKG
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 26, 2025
Tomasek, who is 29 years old, scored three goals and added two assists for five points through 22 games with the Oilers this season. Giving himself a shot in the NHL at the age of 29 was an impressive story, but he wasn’t able to break through as a top-nine forward during his time with them.
The belief is that Tomasek will return to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), where he played previously, with Färjestad BK. Last season with Färjestad, Tomasek scored 24 goals and added 33 assists for 57 points through 47 games, maintaining over a point-per-game average.
The Czech-born forward is hoping to earn a spot on Team Czechia for the upcoming Olympic tournament in early 2026, so getting some more playing time will help him get a fair opportunity to earn that.
There was some speculation leading up to this announcement that some other NHL teams had interest in Tomasek, but it seems as though he is more interested in returning to the SHL.
The Oilers will earn Tomasek’s full contract, $1.2 million, in salary cap relief, since he is agreeing to walk away from it. As the 2026 Trade Deadline approaches, and with the Oilers needing to activate some players off of injured reserve soon, having some extra flexibility won’t hurt them moving forward.
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