Veteran Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic is finally playing at full speed. After a long and frustrating period (about one year) dealing with a high-ankle sprain, and then recently missing several games due to an unrelated injury (reportedly a concussion), Frederic is ready to show fans what he can bring in this year’s playoffs.
One problem: he will have to earn the playing time. Oilers general manager Stan Bowman has acquired competition for Frederic’s role, so the veteran could get squeezed in the days to come. Here’s the Frederic story and the hurdles he is facing.
Former Bruins in Edmonton
Twice in the last 10 years, the Oilers have acquired a substantial winger from the Boston Bruins. Both times, the results were problematic.
Milan Lucic signed with Edmonton on July 1, 2016, with the idea of serving as an enforcer for Connor McDavid. It never worked out, partly because the organization had already acquired a perfect fit for the role (Patrick Maroon) for pennies on the dollar. Just three years later, Lucic and the Oilers were at a crossroads with no winners.
Fast forward to the trade deadline in 2025, and Edmonton’s management once again looked to the big, bad Bruins for rugged help. Frederic was never a feature player in Boston like Lucic, but he gained a reputation for being a strong two-way winger with enough skill to score 15 goals a season while making life miserable for opponents. He wasn’t at Lucic levels offensively (Lucic peaked at 30-32-62 in 2010-11, the year Boston won its most recent Stanley Cup), but he could move the needle (Frederic’s peak season: 18-22-40 in 2023-24) and appeared to be a solid target.
Since arriving in Edmonton (and signing a lucrative contract with the Oilers leading up to 2025 free agency), Frederic has been a shadow of his former self. A high-ankle sprain just before the trade to Edmonton led to a lost spring in 2025, as Frederic was ineffective in 22 playoff games.
The hope in the fall was a return to the 15-goal winger who played a rambunctious style that made life difficult for the other side. Frederic’s problem in the first year with Edmonton: he could no longer arrive at the play in time to have an impact. His foot speed from the high-ankle sprain meant he was unable to make plays as he had in the past.
The good news
Frederic is once again able to arrive at plays on time. Here’s a look at his max speed numbers in Boston during his final two seasons and then early and late this season:
YearMax Speed (kph)Percentile
2023-24
36.6
78th
2024-25
35.5
below 50th
2025-26 Oct
35.3
below 50th
2025-26 Apr
36.4
70th
All numbers via NHL Edge
These numbers clearly show the impact of the high-ankle sprain and the length of recovery from the injury. Frederic wasn’t able to play his game because the speed wasn’t there. When it did return, in April, the organization had other options. A late-season injury robbed Frederic of precious playing time and allowed several other rugged wingers into the postseason conversation.
Competition
Frederic was getting his game back in February and March, showing increased speed and even scoring a couple of goals. He was making plays and found some chemistry with centre/winger Curtis Lazar on the fourth line. In 115 minutes at five-on-five, the two men contributed to a line that did not surrender a goal. That kind of suppression success grabbed the attention of the coaching staff and gave Frederic a clear path to playing time.
Then came an injury, forcing the coaching staff to look elsewhere for responsible players who bring an edge. When Frederic did get back into action, the third and fourth lines were populated by too many forwards for the playing time available.
Frederic was happy to be back, saying, “I’m excited to get playing again. It was not ideal to take a break; I was playing well. We did a lot of good stuff, and I think I’m in better shape than before.”
The increased foot speed confirms Frederic is back to pre-injury levels, but what about playing time? Here’s a look at the Oilers’ bottom six forwards since mid-March:
PlayerMinsPts-60Goal Pct
141
0.85
29
104
0.57
50
92
1.95
63
64
1.87
50
38
1.6
50
14
4.42
100
All numbers five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick
Frederic is delivering enough offence to justify his spot in the lineup, and more importantly, his line isn’t getting outscored at five-on-five. The Oilers have been getting quality work from Max Jones, who has enjoyed success at both ends of the ice.
Josh Samanski has played both centre and wing during this period and has been part of outscoring lines in both roles. His lack of offence and experience may mean a veteran like Frederic can win the day for postseason work. Lazar is a fine utility player who is right-handed, can win faceoffs, play centre or wing and penalty kill.
Colton Dach
Bowman acquired Colton Dach at the deadline; the young winger has similar skills to Frederic. He is far less established as an NHL player, with only 82 games in the league. It was thought his lack of experience might have him on the outside looking in for the rest of the season and playoffs, but Dach dressed for the game Tuesday night in Salt Lake City against the Utah Mammoth.
Frederic started on a line with Dach and Jason Dickinson. It was the other depth line that scored first, a gorgeous pass from Adam Henrique to Lazar, who made a nice move in all alone to make the score 1-0 Edmonton. Late in the period, Kapanen made a nice outlet pass to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who roared down the ice and scored to make it 3-1 for the Oilers.
Early in the third period, with the score tied at four, some magic happened. On a broken play in the Utah end of the rink, Frederic secured a loose puck and fed Dach, who took a shot on net and then scored on the rebound.
That play is a major reason the Oilers acquired Frederic. He can handle the rough going physically, be an agitator and has good hands. That play may well have secured his role on the team’s third or fourth line for the playoffs.
Bottom line
Frederic showed well, as did Dach, Lazar and Kapanen. Jones didn’t play much, and Samanski wasn’t in the lineup against the Mammoth. Frederic has more experience than Dach and looks like the player Edmonton thought they were getting from Boston. His pass to Dach secured a point for the Oilers, and Edmonton was 2-1 goals when he was on the ice.
Will he find redemption in the playoffs? Too soon to know. Based on performance and deployment, bet on Frederic getting the chance this spring.