Edmonton Oilers: Peter Chiarelli’s NHL Career is Over
By Adam Girard
Looking At Other Bad Deals
Apparently getting fleeced by Garth Snow once wasn’t enough for Peter. Another trade with the Islanders in 2017 saw 5-time (now 6-time) 20 goal scorer Jordan Eberle, coming fresh off finishing third in team scoring, traded for 0-time 20 goal scorer Ryan Strome. Yes, it was one-for-one.
And then, as you all know, Strome was traded earlier on this season for Ryan Spooner. Again, one-for-one (since those have all turned out so well…sigh). Strome wasn’t doing much, so it didn’t seem like the worst trade in the world. However, since the move, Strome has been scoring at a near 20 goal pace for the New York Rangers while Spooner managed to find the waiver-wire, which essentially solidified the Eberle trade as being a complete failure.
Even the moves that seemed to have had a positive impact on the roster at one point are now of no value to the franchise. Sure the Cam Talbot and Pat Maroon deals were paying dividends two years ago. But Maroon is now barely keeping his NHL career above water in St.Loius, and Talbot is no longer in the long-term plans of the Oilers. Not to mention that a statement from former NHL General Manager Brian Burke pretty much claims that Talbot doesn’t carry much trade value at all.
“I don’t think you can move him at that salary. I just don’t think he’s moveable. But I don’t think anyone is going to take a UFA that is making that kind of money and hope he gets his game straightened out for the last month of the year.”
– Brian Burke
Ouch…
Then in one of his last deals with the Oilers, Chiarelli moved out forward Drake Caggiula from a roster deserted with depth scoring for defencemen Brandon Manning; the guy who broke Mcdavid’s collarbone in his rookie season, allegedly on purpose — robbing McDavid of the Calder, and Edmonton of any playoff hopes.
Top all that off with a free agent signing of Milan Lucic, and you have yourself a General Manager that should have been fired 12 months ago.