Despite posting impressive statistics in the Western Hockey League (WHL) over the past three seasons, 20-year-old Jason Stefan has been overlooked in the NHL Entry Draft. However, after a stellar year with the Portland Winterhawks, he's finally secured an entry-level deal with the Edmonton Oilers.
Jason Stefan, son of former first overall NHL pick Patrik Stefan, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Oilers. The right-winger had an outstanding season with the Winterhawks, tallying 48 goals and 51 assists in 64 WHL games.
While this past season was his best, James Stefan (as he's known) showed promise in his earlier WHL seasons as well. In his first season, he notched 34 goals and 79 points in 68 games, followed by 22 goals and 64 points in 64 games in his second season.
Patrik Stefan, James' father, didn't quite meet the expectations of being a first overall NHL pick. However, he had a decent season with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2002-03, scoring 14 goals and 41 points. He's also infamous for a notorious missed empty-net goal while playing for the Dallas Stars against, ironically, the Edmonton Oilers.
James Stefan's signing comes as the Oilers have recently inked another amateur free agent, goaltender Connor Ungar. Ungar had an exceptional season with the Brock Badgers, boasting a 26-6-0 record with a .932 save percentage and a 2.15 goals against average.
