Eric Gryba Re-Signs In Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers continue to bring back their veteran defense group, as according to Bob McKenzie of TSN the team has re-signed Eric Gryba for two years. The deal will pay him an average of $900K per season.

Gryba played last season on a two-way deal but spent the whole season with Edmonton or on the shelf due to injury. In 40 games he registered six points but amazingly recorded 145 hits, an impressive rate that would have had him near the top of the league had he played all 82. He’ll likely return in a similar depth role, but is an interesting piece as a big bruising right-handed defenseman.

Now with Gryba and Kris Russell back in the fold, the Oilers have seven NHL defenders under contract. Andrei Sekera won’t play for the first part of the season, but it seems like Edmonton is probably finished when it comes to free agent defensemen. With Matt Benning and Darnell Nurse expected to take a step forward, and Oscar Klefbom and Adam Larsson entrenched as the leaders on the back end, it could be a pretty solid defensive group this season.