Former 12th-overall pick to get a second chance to prove he's an NHL player
The Edmonton Oilers have set their sights on a bit of a reclamation project, as they have announced the signing of forward Brendan Perlini to a 1-year, two-way contract worth a league-minimum $750,000 at the NHL level.
Perlini, 25, was a 1st-round pick back in 2014 (12th-overall) by the Arizona Coyotes and came into the draft with some hype after putting up 34 goals and 71 points in 58 games for the OHL's Niagara IceDogs in his draft year.
The native of Guildford, England performed well in his first season in the AHL, amassing 19 points in 17 games for the Tuscon Roadrunners in 2016-17, which had essentially forced the Coyotes' hand, leading to Perlini being called up to the big club.
In 57 games for the Arizona Coyotea in 2016-17, Perlini managed 14 goals and 21 points as rookie, and followed up that performance with a 17-goal, 30-point season in 2017-18. Perlini played 74 games that season.
The big winger began to fall off a bit of a cliff after his sophomore season and has never really be able to find his groove at the NHL level, winding up being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in the Nick Schmaltz deal, along with teammate Dylan Strome.
Perlini lasted just a half of a season in Chicago, playing in just one game in his second season before requesting a trade. The Hawks would oblige him by sending him to Detroit in 2019-20. He managed just 4 points in 39 games for the Red Wings that season.
Last season, due to the pandemic, played with Ambri-Piotta in the Swiss league, notching 16 points in 21 games.
It's nice to see a former high pick getting a second chance at NHL success. Hopefully Perlini can take advantage of the opportunity and battle hard for a spot on the Oilers' main roster during training camp next month.
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YESTERDAY
JUNE 6, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Mitch Marner | 3 | 1 | 4 | |
| Tomas Hertl | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Jordan Staal | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Shea Theodore | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Sebastian Aho | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Brayden McNabb | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Taylor Hall | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Martinook | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Andrei Svechnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jackson Blake | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jack Eichel | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Seth Jarvis | - | 1 | 1 | |
| William Karlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Eric Robinson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Jaccob Slavin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Logan Stankoven | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Frederik Andersen | - | - | - | |
| Rasmus Andersson | - | - | - | |
| Ivan Barbashev | - | - | - | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||