The Oilers announced Friday that they’ve signed undrafted free agent defenseman Tomas Cibulka to an entry-level deal beginning next season. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Cibulka, 22 next week, makes the jump back across the Atlantic after spending the last two years in Czechia’s top division, Extraliga, with HC Motor Ceske Budejovice, his hometown team. Before that, he played through most of his junior career in Eastern Canada, suiting up for the Val-d’Or Foreurs and the Cape Breton Eagles of the QMJHL from 2021-24.
The lefty checks in at 6’0″ and 170 lbs. There were some defensive flaws in his game dating back to junior that haven’t really gone away, but Edmonton hopes his puck-moving ability is enough to help him challenge for a depth role in the NHL.
Over the past two seasons in Ceske Budejovice, he racked up a 13-29–42 scoring line in 90 games with a -10 rating. He was part of the Czechs’ bronze-medal-winning effort at the 2024 World Juniors, posting a pair of goals in seven games.
There’s no path toward a regular NHL role for Cibulka next season. Darnell Nurse, Mattias Ekholm, and Jake Walman are all signed for several more seasons and will make up the Oilers’ left side for now.
They have three non-roster lefties signed through next year – Damian Carfagna, Atro Leppanen, and Riley Stillman. All of them have put up good numbers in AHL Bakersfield this season, so for Cibulka to land regular playing time, it’s looking like he or someone else will need to shift to their offside.
Cibulka’s deal will make him a restricted free agent in 2028. The Oilers have now used up 31 of their 50 contract slots for next season.