Edmonton Oilers sign James Stefan to entry-level contract

Edmonton Oilers president of hockey operations and general manager Ken Holland announced that the club has signed 20-year-old forward James Stefan to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Stefan has spent the 2023-24 campaign with the Portland Winterhawks in the Western Hockey League (WHL) where he has notched 48 goals and 51 assists for 99 points in 64 games with the Winterhawks.

The Laguna Beach, California product joined the Winterhawks during the 2019-20 WHL season, he registered nine points in 49 games. The following season, he was loaned to the Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) and registered 10 goals and 28 points in 41 games. He returned to Portland that same season and appeared in six games.

Stefan found his footing during the 2021-22 campaign when he tallied 34 goals and 79 points in 68 games. He added six points in 11 WHL Playoff contests. Overall, Stefan has put up respectable numbers in the WHL. Throughout his five-year campaign, he has totalled 109 goals and 145 assists for 254 points in 251 games. Stefan recently became the 21st Winterhawk to record 250-plus points donning a Winterhawks jersey.

Stefan most recently attended Ottawa Senators prospect camp prior to the 2023-24 season. Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis recently featured Stefan in his Top-10 CHL UFAs list. “Offense has never been a problem, with the winger set to crack the 50-goal, 100-point club this season,” Ellis said. “Stefan had a decent showing with Ottawa at the Buffalo Prospect Challenge last summer, showing a nice combination of puck skills, physicality and defensive awareness. I don’t see him being a full-time NHLer but he’s rounded enough to be a potential call-up option.”

Stefan is the son of former NHLer and 1999 Atlanta Thrashers’ first-overall selection Patrik Stefan. Stefan appeared in 456 games over parts of seven seasons, registering 64 goals and 124 assists for 188 points.