Ronnie Attard: Everything You Need to Know About New Edmonton Oilers Acquisition – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

The Edmonton Oilers and Philadelphia Flyers completed a one-man trade Monday (Nov. 4) night, swapping minor league defensemen. The Oilers acquired Ronnie Attard in a trade for Ben Gleason, which frees up space on the blue line for the Bakersfield Condors moving forward, and gives them some flexibility in their lineup instead of scratching a veteran back every night.

Gleason, 26 years old and a left-handed shooting guard, has just four games of NHL experience with one assist. In the American Hockey League (AHL), he has played 359 games scoring 40 goals and adding 137 assists for 177 points which is 0.49 points per game. After leaving Gleason, let’s now take a quick look at the new member of the Oilers.

Related: 2 Oilers Said To Trade When Evander Kane Returns

Attard, a 25-year-old right-handed defenseman, was drafted by the Flyers in the third round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft at 72nd overall after a strong season in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Tri-City Storm in which he scored 30 and added 34 assists for 64 points in 48 games. The following season, he joined Western Michigan University in the NCAA. In his first season in the NCAA, he scored six goals and added eight assists for 14 points in 30 games. In his second season, he scored eight goals and added 14 assists for 22 points in 25 games. The 2021-22 campaign was his final season in the NCAA, and he scored 13 goals and added 23 assists for 36 points in 39 games. When that season ended, he made the jump to the NHL.

Attard scored two goals and added two assists with four points in 15 games with the Flyers after the conclusion of the 2021-22 NCAA season. He would spend the majority of the 2022–23 season in the AHL with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms where he scored 12 goals and added 20 assists for 32 points in 68 games, playing only two NHL games without scoring a point. He also spent most of the 2023-24 season in the AHL, playing in 48 games with the Phantoms scoring ten goals and adding 17 assists for 27 points. He also played 12 games in the NHL adding two assists.

Attard’s size is an attractive asset to his game

Attard is listed at 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, and has proven to be a capable shutdown defenseman at the AHL level. This season, he has no points through seven games but has shown promise as a potential defenseman at the NHL level. If he can continue to develop with the Condors this season and the Oilers need to call someone up in the event of an injury, he could be one of the first to consider bringing him up.

With the deep carousel defensemen the Oilers are using on the right side of the blue line this season, Attard has a chance to earn a promotion if one of them starts to decline or if the team wants to make a change. While he will benefit from more ice time in the minors and should continue to fine-tune his defensive game as he develops into a role player on defense, it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets a few more games with the Oilers. the season.

Attard is a pending unrestricted free agent, so his performance this season will determine whether he gets a new deal with the Oilers or if they decide to let him work in free agency. At the end of the day, this minor league trade gives the Oilers more depth on the right side of their blue line, but it’s not a deal that shakes up the organization in a big way.

As the 2024-25 season continues, be sure to stay tuned Hockey Writers as your source for news from the NHL and the world of hockey.