This season, Shea will join a team expected to contend for the Stanley Cup. Edmonton was eliminated in the Western Conference First Round by the Anaheim Ducks in six games last season after reaching the Cup Final in 2024 and 2025, losing to the Florida Panthers each time.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the Oilers, who hired Mike Babcock as coach on June 23, still believe they are legitimate contenders. Shea is excited to be part of a group with such aspirations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think from the start of free agency, this is the team me and my agent were talking to,\u201d Shea said. \u201cWhen he first told me Edmonton, my eyes lit up because after getting to the playoff for the first time in my career in Pittsburgh, it\u2019s literally the best hockey and probably the funnest hockey I\u2019ve ever played.<\/p>\n
\u201cEdmonton is known for their success, and they obviously have high-caliber players and they know how to win and know how to get to that point in the season, so I\u2019m excited. As a competitor, all you want to do is win and battle it out for the best trophy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shea will help take on the workload left behind by defenseman Darnell Nurse<\/a>, who was traded to the San Jose Sharks on July 1 after being a mainstay on the Oilers\u2019 blue line for 11 seasons. Along with Shea, Edmonton has defensemen Evan Bouchard<\/a>, Jake Walman<\/a>, Connor Murphy<\/a>, Mattias Ekholm<\/a>, Spencer Stastney<\/a> and Ty Emberson<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n