Oilers cut ties with forward on Christmas Day

While much of the hockey world slows down for the holidays, the Edmonton Oilers appear to be tidying up unfinished business. According to reports, the team and forward David Tomášek have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, clearing the way for the Czech winger to return to Sweden and resume his career in the SHL.

For Edmonton, it’s a clean and practical resolution. No trade required, no assets shuffled out the door. The Oilers regain the full value of Tomášek’s contract, opening up additional cap space and giving management more flexibility as the season grinds forward. In a tight cap era, even modest breathing room matters.

For Tomášek, however, the outcome feels heavier.

The 29-year-old arrived with the hope to establish himself in yhe NHL. After two productive seasons with Färjestad BK from 2022 to 2024, Tomášek earned his shot in the big league, signing a one-year deal with the Oilers this past summer. The hope was that his offensive instincts and experience could translate into a top-nine role on a team built to contend.

That opportunity never fully materialized.

In 22 games, Tomášek recorded three goals and five points, often rotating in and out of the lineup without a consistent role or rhythm. For players trying to establish themselves in the NHL, especially those arriving later in their careers, timing and trust are everything. Tomášek never quite found either.

Returning to the SHL offers familiarity, stability, and ice time, which are three things he struggled to secure in Edmonton. And while this chapter closes quietly, it doesn’t erase the reality that sometimes, the NHL dream ends not with failure, but with a lack of space to grow.

On Christmas Day, some ties are strengthened. Others are simply, and cleanly, cut, like the one between the Oilers and Tomasek.