"McDavid leaving?" "Wtf is Edmonton doing?": NHL fans react as Oilers lose another key player to NJ Devils in 4-year, $12M deal

Connor Brown has left the Edmonton Oilers and agreed with the New Jersey Devils on a four-year, $12 million deal. The contract carries an average annual value of $3 million.

Brown, 31, plays right wing. He had a better year in 2024–25 after a slow season. Last season, he scored 13 goals and added 17 assists in 82 games. In 2023–24, he had 12 points in 71 games. The Devils are deep on the right side, so Brown may play on the fourth line.

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As soon as the news reached the internet, NHL fans shared their opinions on Brown's move to New Jersey.

“McDavid leaving?” one fan questioned, as Brown and Corey Perry are signing with other teams.

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“Wtf is Edmonton doing?” Another fan questioned.

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"Folks, the salary cap is going up. 3M is the new 1.2M. Also Connor Brown is an upgrade for the likes of Nate Bastian. #NJDevils" a fan mentioned.

Here are three more reactions from fans to Brown's move:

"I hope he scores 60 next year and turns into everything oilers fans thought he was gonna do in Edmonton lol" a fan wrote.

"I'm confused why the Oilers kept Frederic for longer, but almost at the same term over this guy" another fan said.

Wow. I mean wow. Good for Brown. Get that bag. It’s been a hard road. Still, wow. Haha" a fan mentioned.

Many Oilers fans seem unhappy to see another player leave. They are starting to question the team’s decisions this summer.

Oilers coach's comment on Connor Brown

Earlier in mid-June, before the trade, Kris Knoblauch spoke about Connor Brown’s value to the team. He said Brown is a strong two-way player and can be trusted in different roles, including shutdown situations.

"Connor Brown is a really good two-way player, whether we put him out there as a shutdown (defenseman) or part of a shutdown line," Knoblauch said via NHL.com

"But I think his penalty-kill skills are second to none. I think he's very good at that. ... He's a guy who can move up and down in the lineup and is so valuable in so many different situations."

Knoblauch and Brown have a long history, because they first worked together over 10 years ago in junior hockey. Back then, Knoblauch helped Brown grow as a player.

About the author

Ankit is an NHL journalist at Sportskeeda with over 3 years of experience in the writing industry. He has expertise in sports, product, and travel content writing. His interest in ice hockey was piqued after watching Sidney Crosby play and he has been passionately following the game since then. Ankit admires Crosby’s personality and hockey IQ, and when he crossed the 1,500 points tally, Ankit was among the biggest fans to celebrate the occasion.

An Edmonton Oilers fan because of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Ankit also admires the Pittsburgh Penguins due to Crosby and the Colorado Avalanche for Nathan MacKinnon. He is also a fan of Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr.

Holding a Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and Language, Ankit believes his education has helped him develop a knack for presenting information in a precise and compelling manner. He only sources information from credible avenues and trusted people from his network for his articles.

When he is not watching or writing about the NHL, Ankit loves listening to music and reading books.

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Edited by Krutik Jain