Edmonton Oilers sign Ty Rattie as NHL free agency begins

There was no big splash for the Edmonton Oilers as NHL free agency opened on July 1.

They signed Ty Rattie, a 24-year-old right winger who has played just 35 NHL games. It’s a one-year, two-way deal worth a reported $700,000 in the NHL and $275,000 in the AHL.

“I think he’s underachieved at the NHL level,” Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli said of Rattie.

“We put a waiver claim on him last year. Really good hockey sense, good release, very smart player, works angles well with and without the puck.”

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Rattie was drafted 32nd overall by St. Louis in 2011. He was a high-scoring junior with the Portland Winterhawks from 2008 to 2013.

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“We think he’s got a chance to play on our team, and if not, he’ll provide us depth,” added Chiarelli.

The Oilers also announced the signings of six more players who will help with organizational depth. Those include forward Mitch Callahan and defenceman Ryan Stanton. They both received two-year contracts. They have also signed forwards Grayson Downing and Brian Ferlin, as well as defenceman Keegan Lowe and goaltender Edward Pasquale to one-year contracts.

But Chiarelli stressed that his priorities for the off-season are a new contract for Leon Draisaitl and a contract extension for Connor McDavid.

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“We’ve got some really good young players, Connor and Leon, we have to sign. In the reality of today’s cap world, you have to plan ahead, and that’s what we’re doing,” Chiarelli said, adding that the Oilers didn’t need to chase any big fish in free agency.

“You feel like you can get an asset for nothing, and to a certain extent that’s right. But it doesn’t mean you just have to add for the sake of adding.

“We were close to advancing to the third round with youth, so we’re gonna stick with it.”

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Unrestricted free agents leaving the Oilers include Benoit Pouliot (Buffalo), Jordan Oesterle (Chicago), Tyler Pitlick (Dallas), and Anton Lander (KHL).