Edmonton Oilers’ record signing of former Oilers Not Stellar – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

There have been a few rumors floating around this offseason about the Edmonton Oilers possibly being interested in former Edmonton Oil Kings and Detroit Red Wings young goaltender Sebastian Cossa. If I were Oilers general manager (GM) Stan Bowman, I would proceed with caution, considering the Oilers’ recent history with signing former Oil Kings.

Despite having a strong 2025-26 American Hockey League (AHL) season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Cossa may have been passed over on the Red Wings depth chart by Michael Postava. It looks like the Red Wings are high on former Michigan State prospect Trey Augustine and it leaves one wondering why there are so many rumors that Cossa might be available for a trade.

The Recent History of Oilers and Former Oil Kings Wasn’t Fruitful

If you look at the Oilers’ record of signing the former Edmonton Oil Kings over the past 15 years, many have fallen short of their expectations. Unfortunately, the biggest miscalculation came with former Oil King Captain Griffin Reinhart, who had a great little career in Edmonton. Former Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli traded for Reinhart in the 2015 NHL Draft, giving the New York Islanders the 16th- and 33rd-overall picks. The Islanders went on to draft Mathew Barzal, then draft Anthony Beauvillier, both solid NHL players. Unfortunately, Reinhart only played 29 career games in the NHL, all with the Oilers during the 2015-16 NHL season.

The Oilers Have Signed Former Oil Kings Targets Before

Both Laurent Brossoit and Tristan Jarry were outstanding goal scorers for the Oil Kings, with Brossoit leading the Oil Kings to the Memorial Cup in 2012, where they finished fourth. Jarry, on the other hand led the Oil Kings to the Championship Cup in 2014 and moved on to the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both goaltenders ended up wearing Oilers uniforms, Brossoit playing only 28 games in four seasons.

Meanwhile, Jarry, who was bought by Stuart Skinner on Dec. 12, 2025, did not live up to expectations in Edmonton. Many hoped that he would once again capture the title he had with the Oil Kings and lead the Oilers far in the playoffs. Unfortunately, injuries caught up with him and he was replaced by Connor Ingram as the Oilers starter. Time will tell if Jarry can recapture the form that made him a junior champion.

Many Former Oil Kings Succeeded in the NHL, Not Just in Edmonton

The top three Kings for the Oil Kings are Dylan Guenther of the Utah Mammoth, Kaiden Guhle of the Montreal Canadiens, and Jake Neighbors of the St. Louis Blues. The popular Curtis Lazar, who signed with the Oilers last season, has enjoyed a long career with six other NHL teams but can’t really be considered a big success in Edmonton. The only one would be former Oil Kings forward Glen Sather, who was a walk-on NHL player but achieved Hall of Fame success as a head coach and GM in Edmonton in both the NHL and the World Hockey Association.

Is Edmonton Outgrowing Hometown Junior Players?

There could be a case that some people in the Oilers organization, as well as some in the mainstream media, overrated the Oil Kings players. Cossa would be one example. Others include Reinhart, Brossoit, and Jarry. It can be loving the players after watching them around; It’s really hard to pinpoint why and how the former Oilers didn’t become the stars of the Oilers. It often comes down to draft planning, and in some cases miscalculation of a player’s long-term potential. No one can predict the future.

The Oilers Will Draft a Homegrown Star from the Oil Kings One Day

The current Oil Kings former no-hitter streak with the Oilers cannot last forever. Edmonton has a rich hockey history and the tide will eventually turn. Consider that the Oil Kings have produced great NHL players in the past such as Pat Quinn, Tom Bladon, Wayne Babych, and Phil Russell. Go back even further to the Edmonton Flyers (1940-1963), and you’ll see NHL greats like Glenn Hall, Johnny Bucyk, Norm Ullman, and Al Arbor who played in Edmonton and went on to have Hall of Fame careers.

There is still little hope that Jarry can turn things around in Edmonton. If not, he becomes another former Oiler who can’t elevate his game with the Oilers. One day, there will be a perfect storm in Edmonton, where the Oilers signed an Oil Kings prospect who went on to a great NHL career with the home team. Given Edmonton’s rich hockey history, it’s not a matter of if but when.