Oilers Should Consider Reunion With Ethan Bear

In his first few seasons with the Oilers, the team was in desperate need of good defensemen. While Bear was young, he seemed to be one of the few solid defenders on the team and played a top-four role with Darnell Nurse for the majority of his tenure in Edmonton. He took over as a top-pairing defenseman for a little while following the unfortunate injury to Oscar Klefbom, and ended up taking on some big minutes as a young player trying to find his way into the league.

Unfortunately for Bear, this came with some heavy criticism. He never really played badly, but Oilers fans are some of the toughest in the league and they let him hear it every time he made a small mistake, and it was clear it was having an effect on his game and taking a toll on his mental health. His defensive game was quite strong when he first made the jump to the NHL. But the negative feedback was clearly getting to him and the unfair comments he was receiving on social media seemed to end his time in Edmonton before it was truly over.

If Bear is interested in giving Oilers fans and the team a second chance, then the Oilers should be all over the opportunity to bring him in. He won’t be looking for an insane amount of money but instead could take a short-term deal for less money and earn a bigger contract after the next one is complete.

The Oilers have a stacked blue line heading into the 2023-24 season. Mattias Ekholm, Bouchard, Nurse, and Cody Ceci likely round out the top four with Brett Kulak as the only guarantee on the bottom pairing, leaving some question marks for the final spot. Bear would fit perfectly alongside Kulak, and could even earn the opportunity to move back up into the top four with some solid play.

What’s Next for Ethan Bear?

Bear is expected to miss some of the 2023-24 regular season. He recently had shoulder surgery that could keep him out until around Christmas time. It’s a bit crazy to think about, but if the Oilers start a little slower than expected and Bear ends up returning earlier than expected, why not give the team a shake and bring him in as a sixth defenseman?

I would expect a two-year deal worth $775,000-$800,000 a season for Bear. Obviously, he’s nursing the shoulder injury so the likelihood he gets a contract before he’s healthy is unlikely. It may seem a little far-fetched, but Bear is the perfect player to add to the lineup going forward. Having a guy create some internal competition between himself, Vincent Desharnais and Philip Broberg for the final roster spot will drive up the urgency and consistency from all of them, hopefully leading to stronger performances.

When he makes his return, I hope the Oilers consider bringing him in. It’s risky with his injury issues, but it’s a medium-risk, high-reward idea that gives Bear the opportunity to prove himself as a top-six defenseman again, while the Oilers add depth going into a potential Stanley Cup contending season.