The Edmonton Oilers have signed restricted free agent forward Owen Michaels to a two-year contract extension with an annual average value of $900,000, the team announced Monday, July 6, 2026.
The 24-year-old undrafted forward recently completed a three-season collegiate career at Western Michigan University.
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His contract pays $225,000 in the American Hockey League during the first year before converting into a one-way NHL agreement for the second season.
GM Stan Bowman Praises Michaels' Impact
Oilers general manager Stan Bowman noted that Michaels' performance also helped the organization discover teammate Zack Sharp during collegiate scouting trips.
"I was impressed last year when we went to watch Owen Michaels," Bowman said.
"We were recruiting Owen, so they were teammates, and every time I went to watch Owen, Zack stood out."
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Bowman explained that the defensive prospect consistently commanded attention during evaluations focused primarily on Michaels.
"It's always a good sign when you're not there to watch a player, but you leave the game and you make a note like, wow, he was really good," Bowman added.
Collegiate Career Highlights
Michaels recorded 69 points across 119 career games for the Western Michigan Broncos and served as team captain during the 2025-26 season.
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The right-shot center previously earned tournament Most Outstanding Player honors during the program's 2025 NCAA national championship run, scoring twice in both the national semifinal against Denver University and the final against Boston University.
