The Edmonton Oilers have locked up one of their young forwards, signing Drake Caggiula to a two-year contract. Caggiula was scheduled to become a restricted free agent for the first time, coming off his two-year entry-level contract. Instead, he has signed on early for two years and $3MM, reports TSN’s Ryan Rishaug.
Signed out of the University of North Dakota after an excellent 51-point senior season, Caggiula shocked many by making the Oilers out of camp at the beginning of the 2016-17 season. Unfortunately a hip injury kept him out of the lineup until mid-November, when he made his presence felt with two points in his first two games. The rest of the season didn’t come as easily though, and Caggiula would end up with just 18 points as a rookie. This past season was much of the same, battling injury and inconsistency to finish with just 20 points, though his 13 goals actually tied him for fifth on the team.
Caggiula will turn 24 in just a few days and is likely close to the ceiling of what he can become as an NHL player. While he may not possess high-end offensive ability, he does have an incredible work ethic and can be a reliable player to support the more skilled Oilers forwards. Capable of playing both the wing and center, and contributing on the powerplay and penalty kill, his versatility will come in handy as the team tries to get back to a Stanley Cup contender.
Who announces a signing without the money amount? It’s Chiarelli so we are all anticipating how much he was overpayed for