Edmonton Oilers Lose Yet Another Forward to Injury—No Timeline for Return

Edmonton Oilers forward Trent Frederic celebrates a goal with teammates

He might not have been having the type of season that the Edmonton Oilers envisioned when they handed him an inexplicable eight-year extension last summer, but Trent Frederic's physicality will still be missed in the lineup. It's been revealed that he is out with an injury with no timeline currently for a return.

From @EdmontonOilers Kris Knoblauch on Trent Frederic "Trent is out with an injury and I dont have a timeline."
— Gene Principe (@GenePrincipe) March 20, 2026

Head coach Kris Knoblauch made the announcement on Friday after Frederic was absent from practice.

Since the Olympic break ended, the 28-year-old forward does seem to have brought an edge to the lineup that was not always there earlier this season. He's still only been playing single-digit minutes of ice-time (averaging only about nine minutes over each of his last four games), but he has been laying out the body. He's up to 170 hits in 67 games. He has just four goals and six points, however. He had zero points in 26 games before a recent string of three in nine games.

The Oilers are still stuck holding the bag on what is arguably the second-biggest albatross of a contract in hockey — eight years, $30.8 million ($3.85M AAV). (We won't get into who has the worst long-term contract, in deference to Vancouver Canucks fans). The Oilers have to hope that, at some point, Frederic is able to recapture that 18-goal form that he showed in Boston just two years ago.

Frederic's absence adds to a growing injury list up front, which also, painfully, includes Leon Draisaitl, who is out for the remainder of the regular season. Newly arrived Colton Dach is also out after playing just three games for the Oil.

Edmonton is in a three-way battle for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in the Pacific Division with the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights. Only two points separate the three teams, though the Ducks & Knights hold games in hand.