5 interesting facts about Oilers’ Travis Dermott

Back in 2015, Dermott marvelled at the now now Oilers’ captain, saying, “Even when we were that young, he would do things like score goals between his legs,” Dermott recalls of McDavid. “You could see it.” Additionally, McDavid also had some kind words for Dermott. In an article by The Athletic, the captain praised Dermott, stating that he’s one of the smartest defenders he’s ever played with.

Dermott Had Some Notable Achievements Playing with the Erie Otters

Dermott spent three seasons with the Otters from 2013-2016, producing 116 points in 179 regular season games and 37 points in 47 playoff games. In a full-circle moment, Kris Knoblauch—his coach in Erie—is now back behind the bench for him in Edmonton nearly eight years later with the Oilers. On that note, here are a couple of notable feats from his time with the Otters:

First All-Rookie Team: Dermott earned a spot on the OHL First All-Rookie Team in 2014 after an impressive debut season, scoring 28 points in 67 games. Also, his plus +35 plus/minus rating ranked second among rookies, just behind Mitch Marner of the London Knights.

Franchise Record for Assists in Consecutive Games: In Dermott’s second OHL season during the 2014-15 campaign, he tallied 45 points in 61 games and set a franchise record with a seven-game assist streak—the longest assist streak by a D-man in Erie’s history.

Dermott Played Guitar in a Band With Former Maple Leafs Teammates

When asked about an alternate career path during his stint with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dermott mentioned he’d choose to be a musician if he wasn’t a hockey player. He took guitar lessons briefly at 13, but it wasn’t until 2018, when former teammate Justin Holl invited him to jam, that he seriously picked it up again.

It all started when Holl asked Dermott to play, and next thing you know, they had a revolving door jam band with six Leafs joining in and they practiced at the D-man’s apartment to unwind away from the rink. Holl led the charge on the keyboard and vocals, with Dermott on acoustic guitar, and the duo were seen as the band’s leaders.

Dermott gravitated toward country music, but they also played a range of genres, from electronic to top 40 and hip hop, creating unique acoustic versions, and spending up to three hours trying to master a song. At the time, the blueliner noted, “We’ll take faster-paced songs and slow them down completely to give them a completely different feel.”

Dermott Was the First Player to Defy the NHL’s Ban on Pride Tape

In the 2023 offseason, the NHL implemented a ban on all specialty warmup jerseys following controversies where several players chose not to participate in Pride Night events. Oilers captain McDavid commented at the time, “It’s not my call, but it’s disappointing to see.”Additionally, the league issued a memo to teams that included a policy prohibiting players from using Pride Tape on their sticks during the 2023-24 season.

However, Dermott, then playing for the Arizona Coyotes, became the first player to defy the NHL’s ban by using Pride Tape during the warmup for the Coyotes’ home opener. He wrapped a few strands of rainbow-coloured tape around the top of his stick, making a subtle but bold statement.

Dermott’s move earned him major support from fans and teammates. Incredibly, less than 72 hours after his bold stand, the NHL backtracked, lifting the ban on Pride Tape and giving players the freedom to show their support for social causes with their stick tape all season long. Despite no repercussions from his decision, the rearguard said at the time, “It had to be done. I was ready to face whatever came my way.”

In his brief time with the Oilers, he’s overtaken Josh Brown for a roster spot and they’ve experimented with him on the second pairing already. With that in mind, what are your predictions for Dermott this season?