Oilers acquire Ronnie Attard from Flyers for Ben Gleason

On Monday, the Edmonton Oilers acquired defenseman Ronnie Attard from the Philadelphia Flyers for defenseman Ben Gleason.

Attard has spent his entire professional career with the Flyers organization. Philadelphia took the White Lake, Michigan native in the third round of the 2019 NHL Draft. After a successful career at Western Michigan University, he joined the Flyers late in the 2021-22 season, appearing in 15 games and scouring four points.

That would be the most NHL games Attard has played in a single season. After playing in just two games with the Flyers in 2022-23, he made 12 appearances with the big club last season. Attard hasn’t played in an NHL game yet in 2024-25. Most of the past two-plus seasons have seen the former Tri-City Storm blueliner play with the Flyers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Attard is in the final year of his two-year, $850,000 AAV contract. He will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of this season.

In 29 NHL games, Attard has notched two goals and six points with a plus/minus of -1. In 123 AHL appearances, he has scored 22 goals and 59 points, including three in nine Calder Cup Playoff games.

Gleason has been a minor-league mainstay for the last several seasons. Like Attard, he is in the final season of a two-year contract that has a cap hit of $775,000. He will become an unrestricted free agent, barring an extension, next July.

The Ortonville, Michigan native came to Edmonton’s organization after spending the first five years of his pro career in the Dallas Stars system. Gleason played four games for the Stars in 2018-19 but hasn’t appeared in an NHL game since. After four full seasons with the AHL’s Texas Stars, he has played over a season with the Bakersfield Condors.

In 359 AHL games, Gleason has scored 40 goals and 177 points, including five points in 12 playoff games.