When Curtis Lazar left here for the Ottawa Senators, after helping the Edmonton Oil Kings win the 2014 Memorial Cup, all he had was his skates, his equipment bag and hope that he might have a long career as an NHLer.

The Edmonton Oilers signed forward Curtis Lazar to a one-year contract worth $775,000 on Wednesday. The 30-year-old from Salmon Arm, B.C., has registered 47 goals and 78 assists for 125 points in 572 regular-season NHL games with the Ottawa Senators,

Lazar became a regular with the Oil Kings in 2011-12, tallying 20 goals and 31 points in 63 games. He added eight goals and 19 points in 20 playoff games, helping the Oil Kings capture their first Ed Chynoweth Cup by defeating the Portland Winterhawks in seven games. He chipped in one assist during the Memorial Cup.