Is it already October? Not quite, but we’re here to keep you engaged. From August 8th through September 1st, Hockey News Nashville Predators are counting down 24 players over 24 days, featuring profiles on all currently or potentially rostered players.
Today’s spotlight is on defenseman Jordan Oesterle.
Regarding his NHL journey, Oesterle started his junior career with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the 2010-11 season, where he scored 15 points over 54 games. An underrated talent, Oesterle committed to Western Michigan University and played there for three seasons. After a standout junior year with 17 points in 34 games, he caught the eye of NHL scouts and signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Edmonton Oilers, dividing his time between Edmonton and Oklahoma City.
In his professional career, Oesterle spent more than three seasons within the Oilers organization but only appeared in 25 NHL games before signing as a free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks for the 2017-18 season. In Chicago, he found his stride on the third defensive pairing, tallying 15 points in 55 games. The 2018 offseason saw him traded to the Arizona Coyotes, where he enjoyed the most productive period of his career, playing 172 games across three seasons and scoring 44 points. He later signed with the Detroit Red Wings in 2021, scoring 19 points in 97 games.
Oesterle then joined the Calgary Flames on a one-year deal, splitting time between the NHL and AHL – a first since the 2016-17 season. He played 30 games with the AHL’s Stockton Heat, scoring 19 points, and appeared in 22 games for Calgary, adding 2 points. Subsequently, he signed a two-year contract with the Boston Bruins, where he split time between Boston and Providence during the 2024-25 season, scoring six points in 22 games with the Bruins.
However, he was eventually waived by the Bruins and claimed by the Nashville Predators in March. Oesterle appeared in 15 games for Nashville last season, contributing four points. The Predators acquired him for a $775,000 hit under the salary cap.
As for this season, the Predators, needing defensive depth due to injuries, picked up Oesterle, who, as a seasoned player, could serve well in the team’s third defensive pairing. With Nick Perbix and Nic Hague now rotating in the lineup, it’s a challenge for Oesterle to move up the ranks, so he’ll need to prove his value during training camp. To stay with Nashville for the entire season, he must show more consistency. He hasn’t scored more than 10 points since the 2020-21 season and hasn’t played a full half-season since 2022-23.
Oesterle needs to solidify his role, deciding if he wants to take a more active part in scoring and supporting teammates. His career has seen quite a bit of movement—being traded once and waived once—so much of his journey has been out of his control. If he ends up with Milwaukee, Oesterle says the Predators won’t give up on him, nor does he wish to leave. His contract is set to expire at the end of this season.
Fan Take: Jordan Oesterle’s journey reflects the resilience required to carve out a lasting NHL career, especially for defensemen balancing between major leagues and minors. His role with the Predators could offer important depth and stability, underscoring how vital such players are to a team’s season-long success.
