The 2015 NHL Draft, will forever be known as the Connor McDavid draft. Whether you are a fan of the Edmonton Oilers, another NHL team, or you do not even like hockey at all.
Since being selected first overall, McDavid has been a truly generational talent and has changed the fabric of the Oilers franchise and the NHL as a whole. His impact on the game is immeseaurable with some even claiming he is the greatest NHL talent of all-time.
Heading into that draft, the Oilers had the first overall selection after winning the 2015 Draft lottery, moving up form the third selection slot with an 11.5% odds at winning the first overall pick. In addition to this, the Oilers held the 16th overall pick, originally owned by the Pittsburgh Penguins, acquiring him for David Perron.
After the lottery, draft day rolls around on June 26th, 2015 and the Oilers are set to select McDavid from the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League. However, instead of picking at 16th overall, Oilers general manager at the time, Peter Chiarelli decides to make a blockbuster trade. Chiarelli packages the 16th and 33rd overall picks to the New York Islanders for 21 year old prospect defenceman, Griffin Reinhart.
Using those selections, the Islanders packaged the 33rd overall pick along with the 72nd overall pick to the Tampe Bay Lightning to move up and select Anthony Beauvillier at 28th overall. Using the 16th overall pick, the Islanders select from the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, Mat Barzal. Although some felt it was promising at the time, the trade has aged horribly.
Oilers worst draft day trade of all-time
Reinhart was drafted fourth overall by the New York Islanders in 2012 and by 2015, had just turned pro after his junior career in the WHL with the local Edmonton Oile Kings. His big body frame at 6'4 212lbs made him an intriguing defenceman and he flashed some offensive potential.
However, Barzal was a highly skilled playmaking centre who had blazing speed and who missed much of his draft year due to injury. This partially caused him to fall and at 16th, he was an absolute steal given his high upside.
Now, 11 years later it is clear who won, being one of the most lopsided trades of all-time but definitely of the lockout era.
Reinhart would play just 29 games with the Oilers before being sent back down to their American Hockey League affiliate, Bakersfield Condors. Just two years after his acquisition, Reinhart would be selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft. He retired from professional hockey in 2022 following a stint with the Belfast Giants of the UK's Elite Ice Hockey League.
Barzal would spend a couple more seasons developing with the Thunderbirds and lighting up the WHL before making his debut in 2017-18, capturing the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2018. He currently is a top line player in the NHL having played 611 career games, scoring 153 goals, 381 assists for 534 points.
In a bittersweet twist, the Islanders would package the 33rd overall pick (Mitchell Stephens) along with the pick that would become Anthony Cirelli for the 28th overall pick. They selected Beauvillier who has played 713 NHL games, scoring 146 goals and 153 assists for 299 points.
On the Lightning side, Cirelli is one of the NHL's best two-way centres and was a big piece of two Stanley Cup victories with the Lightning. Stephens has also played 123 games, having played most recently in 2024-25 for the Seattle Kraken.
Of the three teams involved in this deal, the Oilers made out by far the worst with the Lightning and Islanders both getting major cornerstone pieces of their franchise. The Oilers only got embarrassment but of course, this is nothing against Reinhart the person.
Hopefully, the Oilers do not make a similar mistake at this draft or ever again, really.
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