Oilers sign defenceman Travis Dermott to PTO

The Edmonton Oilers will have another body in their defensive ranks when training camp opens.

Defenceman Travis Dermott has signed a professional tryout contract with the team, Sportsnet can confirm. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first to report the news.

Dermott, 27, has played in 329 career NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Arizona Coyotes. In 2023-24, Dermott played 50 games for the Coyotes, recording two goals and five assists.

The Newmarket, Ont., native was selected by the Maple Leafs 34th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft. He played the better part of five seasons with the Maple Leafs before Toronto traded him to the Canucks at the 2022 trade deadline.

A concussion derailed his 2022-23 season in Vancouver as he appeared in just 11 games with the Canucks before signing with the Coyotes the following off-season. He has 16 goals and 46 assists over his seven-year NHL career.

Dermott comes to Edmonton with some prior connections, as he was coached by Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch during his time with the OHL’s Erie Otters. He also was a teammate of Oilers captain Connor McDavid for two seasons in Erie.

After the departures of defencemen Cody Ceci and Philip Broberg this off-season, Dermott should have a good chance to at least compete for a regular spot on the Oilers’ blue line.

The team also added defencemen Joshua Brown, Connor Carrick and Ty Emberson this summer.