A couple of minor-leaguers have found new homes.
On Friday, prior to the American Hockey League trade deadline, the Edmonton Oilers acquired forward Josh Bloom from the Vancouver Canucks. In exchange, the Canucks are receiving forward Jayden Grubbe.
Neither player has ever seen ice in an NHL game, with both spending time in the AHL and ECHL over their young careers.
Bloom was taken by the Canucks in the third round, 95th overall, of the 2021 NHL Draft. He turned pro full-time after the 2023-24 season, after helping the Ontario Hockey League’s Saginaw Spirit win the franchise’s first Memorial Cup.
While he was a solid secondary scorer in his junior days, Bloom hasn’t quite found his touch with the Canucks’ primary affiliate, the Abbotsford Canucks. Across the past two years, he has had just one goal and two points in 21 games. He has spent the majority of his pro career with the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings. In 2024-25, the Oakville, Ont. native posted a career-best 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points in 43 games.
In 19 games with the K-Wings this season, Bloom has posted 15 goals and 13 assists for 28 points.
The Oilers announced that Bloom will be reporting to their ECHL affiliate, the Fort Wayne Komets. He’s in the final season of his three-year, entry-level contract. The deal carries an NHL AAV of $902,500, with a minor-league salary of $80,000.
After finishing up his junior career with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League, where he captained the team for three seasons, Grubbe joined the Bakersfield Condors, the Oilers’ AHL farm team. After two seasons with the Condors, the Calgary native has been with the Komets for the entire 2025-26 season. In 28 games in Fort Wayne, he has potted seven goals and 12 assists for 19 points.
Grubbe is expected to join the K-Wings for the remainder of the season. He was originally picked by the New York Rangers in the third round of the 2021 draft. In 129 AHL games, the 23-year-old has scored 10 goals and 18 assists for 28 points. Grubbe is also in the final season of his three-year, entry-level contract, with an NHL cap hit of $867,500 and a minor-league salary of $80,000.
