Oilers Will Reward Ty Emberson with Early New Extension [Theory]

The Edmonton Oilers are playing well and while the stars are being the stars, credit should go to a few players considered depth pieces on the team. It takes a village to win the Stanley Cup, and the Oilers are learning that as good as Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl are, the value offered by guys like Ty Emberson, Kasperi Kapanen, Connor Brown, and others is often immeasurable. As such, it might be wise for the Oilers to consider signing some of these players to contracts while bargains are still there to be had.

Over the next few days, we will look at three players the Oilers might want to talk contract with sooner rather than later. The first is newly-acquired defenseman Ty Emberson.

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Ty Emberson Has Found His Game with the Oilers

Acquired by the San Jose Sharks in a trade for Cody Ceci, Ty Emberson is starting to find his way as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. Oilers Now host Bob Stauffer recently hinted that the team will try and re-sign him first thing in the new year.

There are good reasons for that.

The Oilers’ penalty kill has become a key factor in their midseason turnaround, and Emberson has been a huge part of it. Edmonton has posted a 14-4-1 record since November 7th, and it’s not a coincidence that Emberson has taken leaps, becoming a reliable option on the back end and finding a groove in the team’s top six. This is a player the Oilers sat a couple of times early to avoid rushing him in, and he’s responded.

Every game, this is a player who is improving. He’s more comfortable in his role, understands his blue liner partners tendencies, and plays smart hockey with a physical edge. He’s been solid at 5-v-5 play, but even better on special teams.

Emberson Has Become a PK Whiz

Since Emberson’s promotion to the top PK unit alongside Mattias Ekholm, the Oilers have allowed just five power-play goals in 19 games—good for an 88% success rate, ranking second in the NHL during that stretch. And it’s not just on the PK. He’s become integral to the Oilers’ success.

Emberson’s ability to break up plays, defend passing lanes, and clear the zone has provided much-needed stability. He might have the least experience on the blue line, but he’s coming out ahead in tough matchups against the opposition’s best offensive players. He’s not afraid to get physical and he’s a steal at $950K.

The longer the season goes and the more Emberson gets comfortable, the higher his value. He’s a group 6 UFA, so Edmonton might be wise to lock him into a three-year deal at a reasonable cap hit before the cap explodes.

Bold Prediction: Oilers lock in Emberson to a three-year deal worth around $2.25 million per season.

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