Revisiting the 2016 NHL entry draft - how did the Oilers make out?

Round two, Tyler Benson, 32nd overall

There isn't much to say about Benson. He never really amounted to anything more than an AHL bubble player. He had three separate callups over three seasons and failed to permanently grab a roster spot in any of them. 38 NHL games later at this point he is nothing more than an AHL veteran playing for the Vegas Golden Knight's AHL affiliate in Henderson, Nevada.

Hit or Miss? Miss.

Who did the Oilers miss out on? Sorry again in advance folks, this will again be a long list. Andrew Peeke (Boston), Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis), Alex Debrincat (Chicago), Nathan Bastian (New Jersey), Samuel Girard (Nashville), Carter Hart (Boston), Ryan Lindgren (Boston), Filip Hronek (Detroit), and Dillon Dube (Calgary). The names aren't as big this time around, but Alex Debrincat would definitely clean up playing next to McDavid or Draisaitl. Ditto Kyrou. If the Oilers had drafted Girard this year maybe they might've been able to trade away Darnell Nurse before he'd been due that big boy contract of his. Dube and Carter Hart were both involved in the Knights incident of 2018 as well. Hronek would've looked good on our D corps too. We'll see lots of Lindgren I imagine as the Flames just signed him as a free agent a month or so ago. Also, why does Boston keep hitting on all their picks? Do they have a time traveller on their scouting staff or something? Three for three in this draft....wow.

Round three (three picks) - Markus Niemelainen, 63rd overall

Niemelainen is an interesting case. On paper, he looks like an NHL defenceman but hasn't been able to grab a roster spot. He had two callups over two seasons and due to the fact that he's a physical stay at home d-man we can't really judge him by his boxcars. He did finish close to the top of the heap in hits/60 one year in a limited sample size but that's about as good as he can get. Philip Broberg, Vincent Desharnais, and Phil Kemp all were callup options before Niemelainen the last couple of seasons, so I think the Oilers have soured on him as a prospect. He's currently listed as a Group Six free agent, meaning he hasn't played enough NHL games to accumulate RFA status. I'm sure another NHL team will take a short term flyer on him at some point, but somehow I doubt it will be the Oilers. Might have a career as an AHL veteran at this point.

Hit or miss? Miss

Matthew Cairns, 84th overall pick - pick acquired from Florida in exchange for winger Teddy Purcell

Not much to say about Cairns. Since graduating from the US College System in 2020-21, Cairns has bounced around between the AHL and the ECHL his entire career, none of it in the Oilers system which means they declared him a lost cause and never signed him to an ELC before his signing rights came up for grabs. Never got anywhere near the NHL and at the age of 26, I doubt he will.

Hit or miss? Miss

Filip Berglund, 91st overall pick - pick acquired from Pittsburgh in exchange for blueliner Justin Schultz

Also, not much to say on this one. After some time in the Swedish pro leagues, Berglund came over to Bakersfield where he underperformed for one season (0-6-6 in 53 games played, although a +3 which is something) before heading back to Sweden where he continues to play to this day.

Hit or miss? Miss

Who did the Oilers miss out on? In the Oilers defence, there was really only a single impact player taken in this entire round, and that was Adam Fox (Calgary). Considering how much of a failure he was for the Rangers in this past season's playoffs maybe in the end we dodged a bullet there. Interesting to note that defenceman Cam Dineen and goalie Connor Ingram, who are now both playing in the Oilers system, were drafted by opposing teams in this round.