Now that a wave of free-agent signings has settled in, it’s the right time to take stock of the NHL’s ugliest contracts. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic did exactly that, ranking the 10 worst deals heading into the 2026-27 season. And while the Bruins somehow escaped the list, one former Boston forward did not.
That player is Trent Frederic, a familiar name to Black and Gold fans and now a headache for Edmonton. Boston GM Don Sweeney moved Frederic to the Oilers at the 2025 trade deadline, and Edmonton then handed the former first-round pick an eight-year contract with an AAV of $3.9 million. So far, that bet looks rough.
Frederic was injured and appeared in only one game before Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Final. This past season, he played 74 games and finished with four goals, seven points, a minus-15 rating and an average of 11:02 of ice time.
“A new coach and more opportunity could get Frederic back on track, but for now that’s a tough sell after his performance over the past two seasons. Even if he does return, his contract is still a lesson for other teams: Don’t give extreme term to depth players - especially if it doesn’t come with any notable AAV discount. Even in a rising cap world, that lesson remains true,'' wrote Luszczyszyn
Edmonton is left hoping a coaching change can spark Frederic. If that doesn’t happen, the Oilers could be staring at a long seven years with a deal that looks increasingly difficult to move.
In Other News...
Bruins Goalie Situation Is More Crowded Than Most Fans Realize
The Bruins spent the offseason quietly widening the net in goal, adding to a pipeline that already stretches from the NHL roster down through college and Europe. Boston has brought in Simon Zajicek, Luke Cavallin, Max Lundgren and Jiri Patera, while also continuing to develop other options in the system, giving the organization a much deeper group than most fans probably realize.
Joonas Korpisalos departure on July 1 opened a lane on the depth chart and made Michael DiPietros path to the backup job look cleaner, but the picture is still bigger than one roster spot. The Bruins are also set to carry Kyle Chauvette as their emergency backup goalie this season, another sign that the club wants every layer covered as it heads into the year with confidence in the work being done by its goalie development group. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Poitras May Be The Bruins Breakout They Have Needed
Matt Poitras has already given the Bruins a glimpse of why they remain intrigued by his upside, even if the path has been uneven. After appearing in 33 games in each of his previous two seasons, he was limited to just three NHL games in 2025-26, a reminder that Boston still has not settled on exactly where he fits. When he has been in Providence, though, the offensive touch has been hard to miss, and that has kept him in the conversation as one of the organizations more interesting young forwards.
The Bruins are still looking for the kind of internal jump that can change the feel of a season, and Poitras is the sort of player who could help answer that need if the development keeps trending the right way. His AHL track record suggests there is more to unlock, and Boston is hoping that by 2026-27 he can grow into a regular top-nine role rather than remain a player the team shuttles in and out of the lineup. For now, the question is less about whether the talent is there and more about when the Bruins finally get enough of it at the NHL level. [Read more 🡒]