Oilers and Iiro Pakarinen agree to terms on a new one-year deal

With the deadline for team's to qualify their restricted free agents looming, the Oilers and Iiro Pakarinen have agreed to terms on a new one-year deal. Pakarinen, who turns 25 in August, played in 63 games for the Oilers last season, recording five goals and eight assists, while averaging 10:45 minutes a night. Pakarinen also had a brief stint in the AHL last season, recording a goal and two assists in four games with the Bakersfield Condors.

During even strength play last season Pakarinen's goals for percentage was a woeful 37.1%; his Corsi for percentage was a much more respectable, but still not good, 45.6%. A big reason for the difference between those two numbers was the Oilers' 5.78% shooting percentage when Pakarinen was on the ice. Pakarinen's most common linemates last season were Anton Lander, Lauri Korpikoski, and Mark Letestu, that could certainly impact his possession numbers as well.

Image courtesy of www.corsica.hockey.

This deal is reportedly worth $725,000, regardless of whether Pakarinen finds himself playing in Edmonton or back in Bakersfield. My guess is that it'll be in Edmotnon, on the fourth line, in much the same role as he played last season. His previous deal had been a two-way deal with an average value of $925,000 and a cap hit of $817,500.