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Edmonton Oilers sign veteran forward Jussi Jokinen to a one-year deal

By Nic Hendrickson

PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 19: Jussi Jokinen
PITTSBURGH, PA - MARCH 19: Jussi Jokinen /
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The Edmonton Oilers signed Jussi Jokinen to a one-year deal, with an unreported but estimated salary of less than $2 million.

The Edmonton Oilers announced a one-year deal with 34-year old veteran forward Jussi Jokinen Friday morning. The salary has yet to be reported, but it is unlikely to be more than $2 million for the depth forward in the 2017-18 season.

Jokinen last played with the Florida Panthers, who bought him out this off-season. Jukinen spent the last three seasons with the Panthers, playing in 81 games in both 2014-15 and 2015-16. Jokinen scored 11 goals and added 17 assists to his tally in 69 games last season for the Panthers.

While 11 goals and 16 assists isn’t a bad return for a bottom-six forward, the significant drop-off in production didn’t justify his $4 million salary. In 2015-16, Jokinen played in 81 games, scoring 18 goals and adding 42 assists. The drop-off from 60 points to 27 was enough to motivate the Panthers to buy out the final season of the four-year, $16 million deal he signed with the team before the 2014-15 season.

The Oilers will be happy to take on a one-year deal with a veteran who has played nearly 900 games in the NHL. In his 891-game career, Jokinen has scored 186 goals and added 360 assists with five different organizations. In his time in the league, Jokinen has played with the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes, and, most recently, the Florida Panthers.

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Jokinen’s 2009-10 season with the Carolina Hurricanes was the best of his career. He had 30 goals and 35 assists for 65 total points. Amazingly, Jokinen almost matched that output with 60 points six years later in 2015-16 with the Panthers.

Aside from the goals and assists, Jokinen was solid in possession and shot analytics last season. Jokinen carried a 7.71 Relative Corsi-For percentage, which only trailed Jonathan Huberdeau (8.74) and Vincent Trocheck (8.97) on the Panthers roster.

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