With the transaction comes a lot of good things, including a better situation for the Oilers heading into the expansion draft and offseason. We break down what this signing means and how it helps the team.
Expansion Draft
In regards to the expansion draft, the Oilers fulfilled all of their requirements. By re-signing the Finnish RFA, Edmonton fulfilled the requirement of leaving two NHL forwards exposed. This means Peter Chiarelli can leave Pakarinen out in the open and now protect Mark Letestu.
With that being said, the Vegas Golden Knights will likely either go with Pakarinen or Benoit Pouliot.