The Oilers’ Most Mysterious Signing: Could Eduards Tralmaks Actually Make the Team?

Eduards Tralmaks is a name most Edmonton Oilers fans have never heard — and honestly, most of the league hasn’t either. He’s an undrafted 29‑year‑old who spent the bulk of his career overseas in the Czech leagues, with a four‑year NCAA stint at the University of Maine and parts of three seasons in the AHL with Providence mixed in.

After leaving the Bruins organization, Tralmaks headed to the Czech Extraliga for 2023‑24 and 2024‑25, playing for Rytíři Kladno — yes, the team Jaromir Jagr is simultaneously the president, owner, and occasional home‑game player for. Tralmaks posted 32 points in 52 games in his first season there, then exploded in 2024‑25, leading the team outright with 23 goals and 51 points in just 48 games.

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Tralmaks’ Progression

Last season, Tralmaks returned to North America for one more shot at the NHL dream. He joined the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s AHL affiliate, and immediately became one of their most reliable scorers. He finished second on the team with 26 goals and added 42 points in 64 games, plus four goals in eight playoff games. He was also +29, third best on the team and the top forward in this area.

For Tralmaks, the motivation was simple:

“My whole life, I’ve been battling to get an opportunity to play in the NHL. At the end of the day, the goal is to play at least one game in the NHL.”

That season caught Stan Bowman’s eye. The Oilers signed Tralmaks on Day 1 of free agency — July 1st, 2026 — which is extremely rare for a depth piece. That alone makes the move interesting. Bowman doesn’t use July 1st on fringe bets unless he sees real potential. Tralmaks is older; he’s big, and he fills a profile Edmonton has lacked. At 6’4″, 225 lbs, he brings size the Oilers simply don’t have enough of.

Scoring Potential

One thing about Tralmaks: he scores. Everywhere. Every league. Every situation. And a lot of it comes at 5‑on‑5, which matters for a player who won’t get much powerplay opportunity. Here are some of his scoring metrics in the AHL and the Czech Extraliga:

His scoring rates in both the AHL and Czech Extraliga put him in elite company — above 96% of forwards in the Czech league, and above 93% in the AHL, including 98% at 5v5. That’s not nothing. That’s a legitimate signal.

Tralmaks also a standout for team Latvia at the Olympics. Here are some of his shot oppurtunites and goal scoring metrics:

Tralmaks generated dangerous looks and lead the team with three goals in four games — ahead of NHLers like Zemgus Girgensons and Teddy Blueger.

The weakness? Skating. Tralmaks is a big body who wins battles and is strong along the boards, but he lacks some pop in transition. Both he and Griffins head coach Dan Watson acknowledged it’s the area he needs to improve.

Watson’s assessment paints a clear picture:

“On the ice, he’s got a physical presence. He has a good shot and is a guy we need offensively, but even his understanding of the defensive side of the game is improving. We need that big, physical presence on the forecheck, around the net, and contributing to our offensive‑zone numbers right now.”

What It All Means

The path to meaningful NHL games is steep. Edmonton is deep, and the fringe competition is fierce. But injuries have cracked the door open.

Mattias Janmark and Matt Savoie will both miss the start of the season, and Tralmaks’ size, age, and scoring history give him a legitimate shot to impress. He’ll be battling Mathieu Joseph, Colton Dach, Josh Samanski, Isaac Howard, Quinn Hutson, and Trent Frederic for minutes.

The door isn’t wide open — but it’s open enough.

Tralmaks reminds me a bit of David Tomasek from last season: bigger body, slower feet, known for scoring. Tomasek couldn’t keep up and went back overseas. Tralmaks is different. He stayed in North America all last year, produced, and earned this opportunity. He’s far more likely to stick, whether as a surprise contributor or a strong call‑up option if injuries pile up.

Eduards Tralmaks could absolutely be a name worth remembering heading into camp. The dream of playing NHL games is still alive — and for the first time, it feels genuinely within reach.

Next: Don’t Sleep on Josh Samanski — Oilers’ Potential Breakout Player