Tuesday, we looked at the top five best moves of the Steve Tambellini era in Edmonton. Tonight, we look at the top five worst moves. There are a lot of candidates, and I’m sure there will be some debate here. These moves all contributed to Edmonton’s demise this last decade.
5.) Oilers trade F Kyle Brodziak and 2009 6th round pick to MIN for 2009 4th and 5th round picks – The Oilers acquired two mid-round picks in 2009, but they missed badly on both of them. D Kyle Bigos wasn’t signed by the Oilers and has yet to play a game in the NHL. G Olivier Roy was traded to Calgary in the fall of 2013.
Brodziak, a younger player at the time, turned into a solid top-nine forward for the Wild, playing a tough defensive role down the middle while providing a little physical play and some offense. Honestly, Edmonton has yet to replace Brodziak in the line-up. They hope that Mark Letestu can be that guy.
That 2009 6th round pick? Goalie Darcy Kuemper, who has had an impact at the NHL level. Edmonton gave up a player who could have helped for another five years for two failed lottery tickets. That fact the 6th round pick worked out only makes it worse.
4.) Oilers Sign D Cam Barker – In the summer of 2011, Steve Tambellini was determined to turn Edmonton north. In order to do so, he would need to acquire a top-four defender to help Tom Gilbert, Ladislav Smid and young Jeff Petry out. His solution? Sign Cam Barker, who had been bought out by the Minnesota Wild just days before.
Barker had been a terrible possession player for both the Blackhawks and Wild, and was prone to making killer defensive mistakes. His time in Edmonton was no different. When he wasn’t hurt, Barker was struggling to keep up in a top-four role, something he just wasn’t built for.
Barker was allowed to walk in the summer of 2012, which came as no surprise to people. Tambellini’s failed bet on defense was a big reason why the 2011-12 season was such a failure.
3.) Oilers Trade F Andrew Cogliano to ANA for 2013 2nd round pick – Andrew Cogliano was struggling in Edmonton after a dynamic start to his career. He couldn’t cut it as a center in the NHL, and wasn’t exactly thrilled with a move to the wing.
Edmonton’s solution? Instead of forcing him to the wing, they traded him for a 2nd round pick, which would become Marco Roy. Cogliano has went on to become a very successful winger in Anaheim, while Marco Roy was not signed by the Edmonton Oilers, a wasted pick.
The Oilers gave away a real NHL player for nothing, something that was common during the Tambellini era. Deals like this led to Edmonton having no depth and playing guys that likely shouldn’t have been in the NHL.
2.) Oilers trade F Erik Cole to CAR for F Patrick O’Sullivan and 2009 2nd round pick – At the deadline in 2009, Edmonton pulled off a rare three-way trade with Carolina and Los Angeles. Edmonton would give up veteran F Erik Cole in exchange for O’Sullivan and a pick. O’Sullivan had been acquired moments before by Carolina for F Justin Williams.
Cole went on to play a big role in Carolina’s run to the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals, while Williams would be a top-six forward for the Kings in both of their Stanley Cup victories.
For Edmonton, Patrick O’Sullivan would be traded in June of 2010, playing just over a season in Edmonton. To put it politely, O’Sullivan was a complete non-factor for the Oilers. Edmonton was the lone team to get nothing out of this deal.
It was a colossal loss for Tambellini.
1.) Oilers Sign G Nikolai Khabibulin – After G Dwayne Roloson signed with the New York Islanders, Edmonton needed to find a replacement. Roli had covered up for quite a few mistakes that the Oilers made over the years, and Tambellini was looking for another solid backstop.
Khabibulin was coming off of a year in which his Blackhawks made the Western Conference Finals and he had posted solid numbers. That said, it was Khabi’s first good year in about five, and questions arose about whether or not it was a fluke. Considering Khabi’s age, the answer should have been obvious.
Khabibulin battled injury for almost his whole Oilers career, and failed to perform at anything close to a starter’s level. Outside of a very hot October in 2011, Khabibulin was below average for the Oilers.
His signing fell right in line with the fall of the Oilers, not a coincidence. After the goaltending faltered, the whole palace came down with it. The Oilers began a terrible stretch of pro player personnel moves with this signing.
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