The Oilers have returned forward Drake Caggiula to AHL Bakersfield, per a team announcement.
Edmonton had recalled Caggiula, 30, last week along with Noah Philp after Connor McDavid exited the lineup with an ankle injury. They had 13 healthy forwards with them both on the roster, though. Caggiula did get into the lineup twice, recording an assist and a +1 rating in a paltry 7:36 of average ice time, but he was a healthy scratch for the Oilers’ most recent contest against the Devils.
The pair of games marked Caggiula’s first in the NHL in two years. The 5’10” winger also spent last year in the Oilers organization, his second run in Edmonton after initially landing with them as an undrafted free agent in 2016. He spent the entire season on assignment to Bakersfield.
McDavid is close to a return, but Caggiula’s reassignment doesn’t indicate he’ll be back in the lineup tomorrow against the Golden Knights. Their following game against the Canucks this weekend remains a possibility. Instead, the reassignment delays the expiration of Caggiula’s temporary waiver exemption since he wasn’t going to be in the lineup tomorrow anyway, by all indications.
Before the call-up, Caggiula had two goals and three assists for five points, 8 PIMs, and a +2 rating in five showings for Bakersfield. Last season, he was among the team’s top point producers with 37 in only 43 appearances. The Ontario native has 46 goals and 92 points in 284 career NHL appearances in parts of eight seasons, most of which came during his first two and a half NHL seasons with Edmonton.
The Oilers now have one open roster spot. It’s inconsequential for McDavid’s return as he was never placed on injured reserve. Caggiula will be an unrestricted free agent next summer after completing his current two-year, two-way deal with Edmonton that pays him a $550K salary in the minors this season.