News of Andrew Mangiapane signing a two-year deal with the Edmonton Oilers made the headlines in Oil Country when free agency opened last week.
Related: 5 Things to Know About New Oilers’ Forward Andrew Mangiapane
But Mangiapane wasn’t the first free agent to join the Oilers this offseason. That distinction belongs to defenceman Riley Stillman, who Edmonton signed on July 1 to a two-year, two-way contract with an average annual value of $775,000.
Stillman’s deal flew under the radar in Oil Country. The former member of the Carolina Hurricanes is a depth addition and not expected to be on Edmonton’s opening roster for 2025-26.
But there is a good chance that Stillman plays in the NHL at some point during the coming season, making him a name that Oilers fans will become more familiar with.
He is 27 years old, stands 6-foot-2, weighs 207 pounds and shoots left. Here are four more things for fans to know about Stillman.
Stillman’s an OHL Champion
After beginning his major junior career with the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Stillman was traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs midway through the 2017-18 season.
The addition of Stillman proved pivotal for an already-powerful Bulldogs team, as he played a huge role in Hamilton capturing its first-ever championship that spring. Over 21 games in the 2018 OHL playoffs, Stillman notched five goals (tying for the most among all defencemen) and added nine assists.
In Game 6 of the J. Ross Robertson Cup against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Stillman potted one of the biggest goals in Bulldogs history, tying the game with less than 12 minutes remaining. Hamilton went on to win the game by a score of 5-4, clinching the championship with a 4-2 series victory.
Stillman’s Well-Traveled
While he’s only suited up for 163 NHL regular-season games, Stillman has already played for five different teams, beginning with the Florida Panthers, who drafted the blueliner 114th overall in 2016. In fact, after signing with the Oilers, he’s now changed NHL organizations five times in a span of just over 50 months.
On April 8, 2021, Stillman was traded from Florida to the Chicago Blackhawks. Almost exactly a year and a half later, on Oct. 7, 2022, he was dealt from the Blackhawks to the Vancouver Canucks. Vancouver then shipped Stillman to the Buffalo Sabres just before the trade deadline,…
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