Oilers sign veteran forward to PTO contract

The Edmonton Oilers have signed Adam Erne to a professional tryout contract, according to a team announcement. Erne was a member of the Detroit Red Wings during the 2022-23 season, in which he played a key role on their bottom-six, scoring eight goals and 18 points in 61 games. He also scored five points in nine games during his stint in the American Hockey League with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Erne is just coming off of the two-year, $4.2 million contract he signed with the Red Wings after the 2021 season. During the two years of that deal, he played 140 games and scored 37 points. The New Haven, Connecticut, native was originally a second-round selection of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2013. He played three decently successful seasons with the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL, before becoming a full-time NHL bottom-six forward in the 2018-19 season.

The Lightning decided to end their development of Erne when they dealt him to the Red Wings in the 2019 offseason, in exchange for a fourth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Thus far in his career, the 28-year-old winger has played 355 games with 40 goals and 89 points. He will get an opportunity to earn a contract with the Oilers during their training camp this month. A professional tryout comes with no guarantee of a regular NHL contract but Erne has a lot of NHL playing experience and is still a good age to contribute to the Oilers this season.