From “Worst Contract” to Breakout Candidate: Trent Frederic’s Chance to Rewrite Everything

Trent Frederic has had a tumultuous start to his Edmonton Oilers career. Picked up at the 2025 trade deadline — along with Max Jones, who’s been a decently productive fourth‑liner when healthy, and prospect Petr Hauser, whom they opted not to re‑sign this summer — that season’s run ended with yet another Stanley Cup Final appearance. You’d think Frederic might have played a major role in helping the Oilers get there. After all, Edmonton paid a hefty price: a 2nd‑round pick, a 4th‑round pick, prospect Max Wanner, and the rights to Shane Lachance (for salary retention).

But that’s not how it played out.

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Frederic arrived injured, dealing with a high‑ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season. He was hurt on February 25, 2025, and traded on March 4 — still weeks away from being fully healed. Oilers fans know all too well how long a high‑ankle sprain can linger after watching Leon Draisaitl battle through one.

Frederic finally made his Oilers debut on April 5, 2025… and re‑injured the same ankle six seconds into his first shift. He tried to gut it out, finishing with 7:10 of ice time and a rough ‑2. Edmonton shut him down until the playoffs, where he surprisingly suited up for 22 games, posting four points and a +1 in 11:24 per night. But he didn’t look like the Frederic from Boston — the explosiveness wasn’t there, the first step wasn’t there, and the overall pace wasn’t there.

Lingering Injury

Because of the long playoff run, the offseason was short and didn’t give Frederic the recovery window he needed. He entered the next season feeling better, but still clearly dealing with the remnants of the injury. Then came the eyebrow‑raising contract: an eight‑year deal at $3.85 million AAV. The term, the dollars, and the lack of production made it a lightning rod for criticism — and unfortunately, Frederic didn’t silence those doubters last season.

He played 74 games but struggled, finishing with just four goals and three assists. He did look noticeably quicker down the stretch, especially when paired with Colton Dach in the duo former head coach Kris Knoblauch famously dubbed “the bash brothers.”

Speaking with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now, Frederic admitted his ankle didn’t feel truly normal until after the Olympic break in February 2026 — basically a full calendar year after the initial injury:

“I think after the break, I was probably as close to 100% as I had been before the injury… I probably wasn’t able to skate until right around now (mid‑August) last summer. So this summer — it’s unfortunate that we lost early — but it’s been great for myself just to get a full summer of training hard and skating at 100%.”

A full offseason should do wonders for an Oilers team that’s played deep into June two years in a row. A rested group helps everyone — Frederic included.

Optimism For a New Opportunity

Frederic also spoke about the arrival of new head coach Mike Babcock. When asked whether it was difficult to find a role last season, he didn’t shy away from honesty:

“Yeah, I would say that’s fair. I don’t think I started off great… I got lost and just kind of lost who I was. I didn’t really have much of an identity.”

He added that the time away from the game has helped him reset mentally, and he’s excited for a fresh start under Babcock:

“I’m pretty excited to have Babs and get a complete fresh slate.”

Frederic also said he’s already spoken with Babcock and came away encouraged:

“I liked everything he was saying. It seems like a coach I’ll gel with… I think he’ll get the best out of me.”

He even expressed interest in adding penalty‑killing duties:

“Anytime you can get out there a little bit more, you feel better about yourself… If that’s a shot block or killing 45 seconds of a penalty, I would love that opportunity.”

Frederic to Be a Breakout Candidate?

Frederic sounds motivated and genuinely excited for the upcoming season. A new coach often brings new life, and Frederic has every reason to make a strong first impression. When healthy, he has all the tools to be an effective player — he’s big, he’s fast, he hits, he stands up for teammates, and he fought four times last season while forming a menacing duo down the stretch with Colton Dach.

Frederic also landed on Dom Luszczyszyn’s annual Top 10 Worst Contracts list — a label I don’t agree with, which I discuss in the article tagged below. That ranking reflects the version of Frederic who spent a full year fighting through a bad ankle, not the player he believes he can be now. This season gives him a real chance to flip the narrative, prove the critics wrong, and show that his $3.85 million cap hit can still be the kind of calculated gamble Stan Bowman envisioned.

With a healthy offseason, a fresh start under Mike Babcock, and a clear understanding of what went wrong, Frederic finally has the runway to rewrite his story in Edmonton. If he delivers the way he thinks he can, that contract won’t look like an anchor — it’ll look like a turning point.

Next: Expert Ranks 2 Oilers Deals Among NHL’s Worst — But Are They?