News of Andrew Mangiapane signing a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers made the headlines in Oil Country when free agency opened last week.
Related: 5 Things to Know About New Oilers’ Forward Andrew Mangiapane
But Mangiapane wasn’t the first free agent to join the Oilers this offseason. That distinction belongs to defenceman Riley Stillman, who Edmonton signed on July 1 to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $775,000.
Stillman’s deal flew under the radar in Oil Country. The former member of the Carolina Hurricanes is a depth addition and not expected to be on Edmonton’s opening roster for 2025-26.
But there is a good chance that Stillman plays in the NHL at some point during the coming season, making him a name that Oilers fans will become more familiar with.
He is 27 years old, stands 6-foot-2, weighs 207 pounds and shoots left. Here are four more things for fans to know about Stillman.
Stillman’s an OHL Champion
After beginning his major junior career with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Stillman was traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs midway through the 2017-18 season.
The addition of Stillman proved pivotal for an already-powerful Bulldogs team, as he played a huge role in Hamilton capturing its first-ever championship that spring. Over 21 games in the 2018 OHL playoffs, Stillman notched five goals (tying for the most among all defencemen) and added nine assists.
In Game 6 of the J. Ross Robertson Cup against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Stillman potted one of the biggest goals in Bulldogs history, tying the game with less than 12 minutes remaining. Hamilton went on to win the game by a score of 5-4, clinching the championship with a 4-2 series victory.
Stillman’s Well-Traveled
While he’s only suited up for 163 NHL regular-season games, Stillman has already played for five different teams, beginning with the Florida Panthers, who drafted the blueliner 114th overall in 2016. In fact, after signing with the Oilers, he’s now changed NHL organizations five times in a span of just over 50 months.
Riley Stillman, Buffalo Sabres (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
On April 8, 2021, Stillman was traded from Florida to the Chicago Blackhawks. Almost exactly a year and a half later, on Oct. 7, 2022, he was dealt from the Blackhawks to the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver then shipped Stillman to the Buffalo Sabres just before the trade deadline, on Feb. 27, 2023. After spending the entire 2023-24 season in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Rochester Americans, Stillman signed a one-year deal with the Hurricanes on July 3, 2024.
Including the AHL, Stillman has suited up for nine different teams since making his pro debut with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds in 2018-19.
Stillman’s Not a Frequent Scorer
Stillman has scored only four times in the NHL, and his first tally didn’t come until his 53rd career game, as a member of the Blackhawks. It was on May 6, 2021, against Carolina in Raleigh. The goal was a big one, as it tied the game at 1-1 with 3:01 left in the third period, and set the stage for Chicago to win in overtime.
His second career goal, also with the Blackhawks, was the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights on Jan. 8, 2022.
It’s been more than two years since Stillman’s last NHL goal, which came during the second period of a 4-3 shootout loss for the Sabres against the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre on March 27, 2023.
Stillman’s the Son of an NHLer
Stillman’s father, Cory Stillman, scored 278 goals and recorded 449 assists in 1,025 career NHL games over parts of 16 seasons with the Calgary Flames, Hurricanes, Panthers, Ottawa Senators, St. Louis Blues and Tampa Bay Lightning. Cory, who played left wing, was a member of the Flames during the first three years of Riley’s life.
“I started skating at about 18 months growing up in Calgary,” Riley said in 2016. “I thought everyone had a dad playing in the NHL.”
Cory is a two-time NHL champion, winning with Tampa Bay in 2004 and Carolina in 2006, the latter coming at Edmonton’s expense. He is one of only 12 players in the NHL’s history to win the Stanley Cup in back-to-back seasons with different teams.
Since retiring in 2011, Cory has worked in various capacities for a number of teams in the NHL and OHL. He is currently the head coach of the OHL’s Guelph Storm.
Riley will be a long shot to make the Oilers out of training camp, but he’ll have a chance to impress his new team during the preseason, which begins on Sept. 21 with the Oilers playing a pair of split-squad games against the Flames in Edmonton and Calgary.
