The Oilers have made another addition to their prospect pool. The team announced that they have signed forward Viljami Marjala to a two-year, entry-level contract. PuckPedia reports (Twitter link) that the deal will carry a cap hit of $872.5K and an AAV of $975K including his signing bonus and games-played bonus.
The 22-year-old was originally a fifth-round pick by Buffalo back in 2021, going 159th overall. However, the Sabres elected not to sign him by last Sunday’s deadline, making Marjala an unrestricted free agent and Edmonton quickly pounced.
Marjala finished fifth in Finland’s Liiga in assists this season with 44, two ahead of defenseman Atro Leppanen, who also signed with the Oilers recently. However, he had just eight goals with TPS Turku, less than half of the 17 he put up in 2023-24 which may have played a role in Buffalo letting him go.
Marjala signed with Karpat in Finland a little more than a month ago, inking a one-year deal plus an option that evidently contained an NHL out clause. It’s possible that Edmonton will loan him back there for next season, or they could have him start with AHL Bakersfield to get his feet wet at that level. It won’t be Marjala’s first taste of hockey in North America, however, as he spent two years in the QMJHL, the first of which helped get him originally drafted.
The Sabres have let good draft picks go for nothing in the past. Hopefully this isn’t another swing and a miss that the team will regret later. Marjala looked like he has a future in hockey – at least in the AHL. Since Buffalo is stacked on the farm, that may have played in their decision.