BREAKING: EDMONTON OILERS FORTIFY BLUE LINE BY SIGNING STAR DEFENSEMAN  TO FOUR-YEAR DEAL WORTH…READ MORE….

As if the addition of Jake Guentzel wasn’t enough, the Edmonton Oilers continued their aggressive offseason overhaul by signing defenseman Brady Skjei to a four-year, $22 million contract on Wednesday — a move aimed squarely at tightening up their blue line for another deep playoff push.

Skjei (pronounced “Shay”), 30, brings a rare mix of offensive upside and strong defensive awareness. A key piece of the Carolina Hurricanes’ top four over the last several seasons, he’s coming off a career-best campaign with 13 goals and 34 assists (47 points) in 81 games — all while logging nearly 22 minutes per night against top competition.

“We needed a mobile, veteran defenseman who can eat minutes and move the puck — and that’s exactly what Brady brings,” said Oilers GM Ken Holland. “He’s playoff-proven, positionally sound, and fits exactly what we were looking for to balance our defensive core.”

Skjei, originally a first-round pick by the Rangers in 2012, played four full seasons with Carolina and was a mainstay in their postseason success. His ability to play on both special teams and handle top-pairing responsibilities makes him an immediate upgrade for Edmonton, who struggled with consistency on the back end during their 2024 Cup Final run.

“The chance to join this group and compete for a Cup was everything to me,” Skjei said. “I’ve played against Edmonton. I’ve seen their firepower. Now I want to help them win.”

With the addition of Skjei, the Oilers’ top four now projects as:

Darnell Nurse – Evan Bouchard

Brady Skjei – Mattias Ekholm

That pairing gives Edmonton two stable, physical, puck-moving defensive units, plus depth behind them with Brett Kulak and Philip Broberg.

Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch praised Skjei’s versatility and leadership, noting that the veteran brings “a calming presence and high hockey IQ.”

“He doesn’t get rattled. He can skate, he’s tough in his own end, and he plays smart hockey,” Knoblauch said. “He’s going to log a lot of critical minutes for us.”

The contract carries an average annual value of $5.5 million and includes a limited no-trade clause, signaling that both sides view this as a long-term fit.

Fans immediately reacted with enthusiasm online, with hashtags like #SkjeiInTheNorth, #OilersDefenseReloaded, and #BlueLineBoost lighting up X and Instagram. It’s clear that Oil Country believes their window is open — and this signing proves the front office agrees.

With the additions of Jake Guentzel, Tyler Toffoli, and now Brady Skjei, the Oilers have added elite talent at all three levels of the lineup — offense, defense, and experience.

Skjei kept it simple when asked about expectations.

“I came here to win. Let’s finish what they started last year.”