The Edmonton Oilers boast a once-in-a-generation duo in Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. But in today’s NHL, championships aren’t won on the backs of two players alone. You need a strong supporting cast, and the most cost-effective way to acquire it is through the draft.
From 2012 to 2017, Edmonton made first-round picks that failed to address glaring roster holes — particularly on defense and in net. Even more frustrating, the players they passed on weren’t hidden gems from the sixth round; they were obvious, high-profile talents taken shortly after Edmonton’s pick.
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Here’s the year-by-year breakdown of what could have been for a team that has come so close but failed to take home the Stanley Cup. Oh, what might have been.
The 2012 Entry Draft: The Oilers Missed Two Solid Defensemen
Looking back at the 2012 NHL Draft, it’s hard not to imagine how different things could have been for Edmonton if they’d chosen one of several standout players still on the board. Morgan Rielly, taken fifth overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, has become the leader in games played (867) from his draft class and serves as the quarterback of Toronto’s power play. He’s the kind of two-way defender Edmonton has long needed—mobile, poised under pressure, and capable of logging heavy minutes in every situation. Over his career, Rielly has consistently driven offence, earning a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable top-pair blueliners.
Also available to the Oilers was the Anaheim Ducks’ first pick. That was Hampus Lindholm, a big, reliable defenseman who could have been the anchor that Edmonton’s top four desperately needed. Lindholm turned out to be a smart, puck-moving, gap-control blueliner who has been able to shut down opposing forwards. He’s been a stabilizing presence wherever he’s played. Since joining the Boston Bruins, he’s paired that defensive reliability with timely offence, becoming a key part of one of the league’s stingiest blue lines.
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Instead, Edmonton used the first overall pick on Nail Yakupov, who was a speedy winger expected to add offensive firepower alongside Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. While he was less than advertised, the bigger issue was that scoring wasn’t the Oilers’ biggest problem. They needed players who could…
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