Jeff Petry? Smid? I thought maybe Vishnovsky, but I don't think he was a very high draft pick, nor picked by the Oilers.
- Wetbandit1

I guess I should have been more specific, he wasn't drafted by the Oilers they traded for him.

Anyhow the answer is Roman Hamrlik

Worst off season move : #1 Watching the Canadians WORST collapse off all time & watching the best player on the team , PK and Ellar taking the fall . Not the captain & not the coach , just the two players that Therrian didn't like! Bergevin sould have fired ALL the coaches , but he has his boys club , so he did what his buddy wanted . WORST offseason move was NOT FIRING THERRIAN !!!!!!!!
- HABS-76

I hate Therrien, Bergevin and the trade, but this

He doesn't play for the Oilers anymore so he sucks and now that Larsson does, he's a great defenseman.


As for the worst trade in history well at this point it likely don't even crack the top 5 for most teams and surely doesn't for any of the original 6. I mean Adam Oates and Paul MacLean for Bernie Federko and Tony McKegney. The Roy trade for a bag of magic beans. Yashin for Chara, Spezza and Muckalt. Markus Naslund for Stojanov. The Cam Neely trade. That Gilmour trade to Toronto. The Marcel Dionne trade to L.A.

Just so many brutal trades have been done that we all know the results now. This Hall/Larsson looks very bad but no way I would ever say it's the worst in history at this point with so many that have already proven to be horrible deals.
- dcz28

We were talking 1 for 1 trades.

The best is that Weber is declining but Chara isn't? heh

The best is that Weber is declining but Chara isn't? heh
- Pie

Correct. Weber is declining. Chara has declined.

We were talking 1 for 1 trades.
- PugsNotDrugs

Naslund for Stojanov still is much much worst.

Naslund for Stojanov still is much much worst.
- dcz28

Yeah after the fact though . It was a nothing move at the time. One for one, at the time of the trade only thing i can think of close to the Hall trade is courtnall for kordic..
.

So the Hall/Larsson trade is the worst ever in league history? L to the OL.

First off, hindsight is truly 20/20. I can recall many media accounts that Hall, while having elite-level talent, just hasn't developed into what the Oilers expected. Who knows how much of this is media hogwash, but for the last three seasons I remember reading at least a few Hall trade rumors per year, or that the Oilers would like to move him because he's either not fitting in or being what they hoped.

Now? Everyone is talking Hall up like he's a top-five player in the league, and yes, Hall may be a top-ten or even a top-five depending on who you ask. I'm not saying this was an even-steven trade or that it wasn't a bad trade. I'm just saying it's crazy now how everyone is acting like EDM traded the best player in the league for a bag of pucks.

Normally, I'd say this is a pretty bad trade straight-up, but that's if it look at it from the perspective of one trade. People need to view what EDM has done as a whole to see the big picture. Right or wrong, they clearly wanted Lucic over Hall. So yeah, you could look at Hall/Larsson as a mistake, but it opened the door to do what they really wanted.

To me, the only real argument here is that the Oilers should have gotten a #1 pick thrown in or a top prospect.

So 1 for 1, was it a bad trade? Yes, but FAR from the worst in league history.

Montreal became a better team for trading PK, no doubt I'd take an older Weber any day. Weber is a leader on the ice and a guy that puts the team first and plays his heart out every day. He doesn't crave attention, he plays a strong defensive game and has a shot that can shatter concrete. He doesn't blame other people for his mistakes and mess ups. If he makes them, which rarely happens he owns it. No blaming the guy that sharpens the skates or blaming the referee.
There is obviously a reason that the greatest hockey minds in Canada picked Weber and didn't even consider PK for Canada. Montreal realized they were getting rid of a virus in the locker room and if it didn't happen now it never would. Maybe PK can get focused in Nashville without the media distractions that he craves and try and become a complete player. The Nashville coaches have been great developing defensemen that can play both ends of the ice and now they have a new project.,,

Everything in absolutes.

Yeah after the fact though . It was a nothing move at the time. One for one, at the time of the trade only thing i can think of close to the Hall trade is courtnall for kordic..
.
- James_Tanner

Have to disagree here. It's not after the fact when you trade a player who just put up 50 pts in 66 games. He was in the middle of a breakout season.

The Mark Messier trade is easily way worse than the Hall trade. Yes, Bernie Nicholls was the centerpiece of that trade to the Oil, but you've just trade Gretzky a little before that and now you're moving the other Centerpiece?

How about Brett Hull to STL for Bozek, Ramage and Wamsley? LOL laughable. It wasn't even after the fact. He was playing his first full season and had 50 pts(26G) in 52 games! To add insult to injury CGY moved Gilmour with the drek from the Hull trade to TOR for a bunch of bigger nobodies.

DET trading Marcel Dionne to MTL for a bunch of nobodies.

Yes, some of these trades were not 1 for 1 like the Hall trade, but it's worse. Most are one player for a bag d**ks. Yes, I researched some bad NHL trades.

Hall for Larsson is lopsided, but not as lopsided as most think. At least Larsson will provide something the Oilers have been needing FOR YEARS.

Great argument.

Larsson will get the Oilers in the playoffs. Keeping the same group that has failed for years will not.
- Bruiniak

Lucic will get the Oilers in, along with a little less bad luck.

As for the Larsson/Hall trade it certainly was to try and fill a long needed weakness. And I do understand what they were trying to accomplish but I don't know how many Edmonton games people have been watching but next to Mcdavid, Hall was the other bright spot. He is a truly great player right up there with the Seguin's of the league who he came in with. But maybe with an even more complete game.
I would have tried to trade Hopkins for another highly touted defenseman that hasn't completely panned out yet as the leafs did Van Riemsdyk for Schenn. It worked out better for the leafs but it was a gamble of high pick trade and a new scenery.
As for Yakupov he wants to be traded but in all honesty why would have trade him now? He's a first overall pick that has showed very little promise. Right now the oilers would be trading a first overall pick for at best a bag of nails. Give me a few years and see what happens if he doesn't pan take the nails and run.
Eberle on the other hand is not always consistent but from watching last year I think he 's going to have great chemistry with Mcdavid. And will probably remain in the fold. He also seems like a very likeable guy and great teammate.
Ultimately Hall was there greatest asset to trade for a return and they did get something for him that could pan out to be a solid 2-4 defenseman but I don't think he'll ever be the number one they want him to be.
When I first saw the trade I was just waiting for someone to say and a 1st round pick going to the oilers as well. Then I would have said I can understand the trade. There getting a project defenseman which they need, they are dropping salary and there taking a gamble with another early first round pic as the devils are at best 7-8 seed and could easily miss the playoffs altogether.
As we all know the more early pics the better chance of a homerun. And with two early first round picks next year they could have finally took a chance with a pick and a young prospect defenseman.
That's my 2 cents and evaluation of the current oil situation...

What if McDavid has a sophomore jinx because he can't carry the team on his shoulders by himself because the Oilers gave away their other game breaker?
He is, by the way, only 19 and thats a pretty big load to shoulder.
But the Oilers have had alot of success giving the load to kids.

Puljujärvi and McDavid should be able to carry this team next year.

Great argument.

Larsson will get the Oilers in the playoffs. Keeping the same group that has failed for years will not.
- Bruiniak

The Oilers will have no problems scoring goals, with or without Hall. Barring any serious injuries, they'll have a full season of McDavid, Lucic and still very good scoring depth in their top nine.

Larsson may not be the answer, but he's a major step in the right direction to becoming a better team.

I believe the Oilers will make the playoffs for two reasons:
1) They've improved their back-end
2) The rest of the west has gotten VERY thin

The West will be a much bigger dogfight this year with multiple teams fighting for the last few spots until the 82nd game of the season.

Montreal became a better team for trading PK, no doubt I'd take an older Weber any day. Weber is a leader on the ice and a guy that puts the team first and plays his heart out every day. He doesn't crave attention, he plays a strong defensive game and has a shot that can shatter concrete. He doesn't blame other people for his mistakes and mess ups. If he makes them, which rarely happens he owns it. No blaming the guy that sharpens the skates or blaming the referee.
There is obviously a reason that the greatest hockey minds in Canada picked Weber and didn't even consider PK for Canada. Montreal realized they were getting rid of a virus in the locker room and if it didn't happen now it never would. Maybe PK can get focused in Nashville without the media distractions that he craves and try and become a complete player. The Nashville coaches have been great developing defensemen that can play both ends of the ice and now they have a new project.,,
- Chardcore709

You said it NAshville has COACHES !!!! This trade would have been accepted better if Weber was 26 yrs old. My main problem is PK took all the blame ! If he had respectable people coaching this team instead of a bunch of buddies that no other team woluld hire . I like the Muller deal , now keep going and bring in more like him . Here's a thought may be Mr Molson should get Mr Serge Savard to pick all the coaching staff. No more Bergevins boys club !

What if McDavid has a sophomore jinx because he can't carry the team on his shoulders by himself because the Oilers gave away their other game breaker?
He is, by the way, only 19 and thats a pretty big load to shoulder.
But the Oilers have had alot of success giving the load to kids.

Puljujärvi and McDavid should be able to carry this team next year.
- ifiwasgm

You should stop posting this stuff on the internet again. If your Parole Officer sees this it's back to the clink for you!

You said it NAshville has COACHES !!!! This trade would have been accepted better if Weber was 26 yrs old. My main problem is PK took all the blame ! If he had respectable people coaching this team instead of a bunch of buddies that no other team woluld hire . I like the Muller deal , now keep going and bring in more like him . Here's a thought may be Mr Molson should get Mr Serge Savard to pick all the coaching staff. No more Bergevins boys club !
- HABS-76

I guess you'll be buying some new Pred's jersey's?

Good blog. Legit.

I guess you'll be buying some new Pred's jersey's?
- Garnie

there wont be any $ spent on habs merchandise or ticks until this management issue is addressed .

there wont be any $ spent on habs merchandise or ticks until this management issue is addressed .
- HABS-76

Just cheer for Nashville...PK SUBBANATOR!!!!!!!!!

What have they done that makes you think they're interested in information provided by a guy hired to crunch the numbers?

You, and the people who reference Weber on Team Canada are all committing the logical fallacy of Appealing to the Experts.
- James_Tanner

Your repeated appeals to the analytics experts is different?

Personally, I don't agree with the Subban-Weber deal, but having a one-sided compulsion for analytics data is almost as foolish as ignoring it altogether. My whole job is about producing numbers to substantiate decision-making, and when you know your measurement system is imperfect (which a lot of hockey analytics is), you have to treat the numbers as a starting point - not the final and absolute word. Plus, when a GM is talking about leadership and character, you're talking about qualitative intangibles so you might as well stop debating possession numbers.

The only sense I can make of this trade is that Bergevin felt strongly that Subban has too much of an unpredictable 'X' factor to his game, and was emotionally polarizing the dressing room at the worst possible times. Regardless of whether he's right or wrong, it will be very interesting to see how this trade pans out over the next few years.

Personally, I don't agree with the Subban-Weber deal, but having a one-sided compulsion for analytics data is almost as foolish as ignoring it altogether. My whole job is about producing numbers to substantiate decision-making, and when you know your measurement system is imperfect (which a lot of hockey analytics is), you have to treat the numbers as a starting point - not the final and absolute word. Plus, when a GM is talking about leadership and character, you're talking about qualitative intangibles so you might as well stop debating possession numbers.

The only sense I can make of this trade is that Bergevin felt strongly that Subban has too much of an unpredictable 'X' factor to his game, and was emotionally polarizing the dressing room at the worst possible times. Regardless of whether he's right or wrong, it will be very interesting to see how this trade pans out over the next few years.
- khawk

We don't know that for sure, as no team has actually done it.

Personally, I don't agree with the Subban-Weber deal, but having a one-sided compulsion for analytics data is almost as foolish as ignoring it altogether. My whole job is about producing numbers to substantiate decision-making, and when you know your measurement system is imperfect (which a lot of hockey analytics is), you have to treat the numbers as a starting point - not the final and absolute word. Plus, when a GM is talking about leadership and character, you're talking about qualitative intangibles so you might as well stop debating possession numbers.

The only sense I can make of this trade is that Bergevin felt strongly that Subban has too much of an unpredictable 'X' factor to his game, and was emotionally polarizing the dressing room at the worst possible times. Regardless of whether he's right or wrong, it will be very interesting to see how this trade pans out over the next few years.
- khawk

Well said, and a perfect description of how analytics should be weighted. The problem is that Tanner thinks analytics are infallible, and the only way that players should be judged. His own conclusions on players, have shown that to be untrue.