Edmonton Oilers All-Trade Team – Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

A team not known in recent times for making big trades, the Edmonton Oilers certainly have their history of notable trades with other teams. Since entering the NHL in 1979, the team has made some great deals with franchise-changing players while also making trades that changed hockey history (see: Wayne Gretzky trade if you’re confused). So, in all this chaos, which players do they trade to make the best team?

Looking back at Edmonton’s extensive trade history, I created what I believe to be an excellent first batch of players who came to the team via trade. This does not include players selected with draft picks acquired by the Oilers in trades. So if you’re wondering why I didn’t include guys like Mark Messier or Jordan Eberle, remember this rule. There are also a few honorable mentions at each position, just so we can see who else was considered and who else has become an Oiler via trade. Let’s dive in.

Left Wing: Dave Semenko

We’re starting the multiplayer team with a name that is very familiar to many fans, a name that makes many players cringe when they hear it. Dave Semenko may not have been the greatest player of all time with the most points and accolades, but what makes him the best left tackle the Oilers have ever acquired is his durability. Semenko fought 109 times in his nine-year career, spending a total of 1,175 minutes in the penalty box. He was called Gretzky’s personal bodyguard during his time with the Oilers, as no one dared to approach the greatest hockey player in the world. He was loved by the fans, as whenever he was on the ice, they knew their stars were safe, and they could see fists flying at any time.

Semenko was acquired from the Minnesota North Stars in 1979 with the pick that was used to select Messier. He helped the Oilers win two Stanley Cups during his time with the team before being traded again during the 1986-87 season.

Although Semenko is no longer with us, his impact on Edmonton has not been forgotten. Other talented players who deserve honorable mention at this position include Craig Simpson, Petr Klima, and Todd Marchant.

Center: Doug’s weight

It’s kind of the quieter and less talked about era of Oilers hockey, the early 90s to mid 2000s. However, whenever it is brought up, the name Doug Weight is usually the first. He’s a guy who came in and made an immediate impact for the Oilers and was consistent throughout his tenure there. He scored 577 points from the end of the 1992-93 season to the end of the 2000-01 season with Edmonton. He led the case when they wanted to return to the top of the mountain they were on for a long time in the 80s.

Weight was a three-time All-Star with the Oilers and is in the team’s Hall of Fame. He came to the team in a one-on-one trade with the New York Rangers and was shipped off in the summer of 2001 to St. Louis Blues. A star under his time. Other centers worth mentioning are Anson Carter, Michael Peca, and Mike Krushelnyski.

Right Wing: Bill Guerin

Speaking of that unknown era nearly 30 years ago, Bill Guerin stopped in Edmonton for a few years then. Although he only played four parts of the season in Oil Country, Guerin was very productive. He posted 20 points in all four seasons and 45-plus in his two full seasons. He was a great complement to a guy like Weight and made the Oilers very competitive every night. He wasn’t afraid to drop the gloves when needed, which made him a great player.

Guerin came to Edmonton in a two-for-two trade with the New Jersey Devils and later left in the trade that brought Carter and a draft pick that was used to select Ales Hemsky. This was a tough position to pick, as the Oilers haven’t made many trades at the position, surprisingly. Other honorable mentions include Dave Lumley, Radek Dvorak, and Zack Kassian.

Defender: Chris Pronger

One of, if not the most divisive and memorable members of Oilers history is easily the best defenseman on this team. Chris Pronger may have played just one season with the Oilers, but it was electric. After moving up north during the offseason, he came in and became a star. A booming icon paired with a high hockey IQ, he was exactly what a borderline playoff team like the Oilers needed. He was the perfect mix of physicality and offense. He recorded 56 points in 80 regular season games and added an incredible 21 points in 24 playoff games.

Pronger came to Edmonton from the Blues for three players. He and the Oilers came up short on the Stanley Cup in 2006, and he was sent off the following season, but his legacy lives on.

Defender: Jason Smith

“The Gator” made the cut as the second defender in this trading group. Jason Smith played 542 games as an Oiler, and while he wasn’t the flashy, game-changing talent that Pronger might have been, he was a solid, reliable guy you could always fall back on. He recorded more than 10 points in all but one season with the team and played a great defensive game. He was very talented as well. Not to mention his incredible ability to stop opposing players dead in their tracks. He led the playoff field in hitting during the Oilers’ 2006 playoff run with 59 hits.

Besides his strong skills as a player, Smith was a leader. He served as captain or alternate captain for almost his entire time in Edmonton. He led the way, as mentioned, when the team won the Cup in 2006. Smith was acquired late in the 1998–99 season from the Toronto Maple Leafs with a few draft picks and left in the summer of 2007.

Plenty of good defensemen have been brought in through trades, but Smith takes the cake for his consistency, skill, leadership, and overall performance. Other runners include big names like Marty McSorley, Mattias Ekholm, and Jake Walman.

Goalkeeper: Bill Ranford

The most difficult position to decide of all deserves to be taken by a legend in the organization and the world of hockey. Bill Ranford played 449 games in an Oilers jersey, winning 167 of those games. That ranks him second in wins in organization history. Although his statistics do not look good when it comes to talking, but the number of goals scored and the type of game that was played during his time should be considered. He was the best goalkeeper of his time. He is also the only goaltender to receive the MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Canada Cup, and World Championship.

Ranford was part of two Stanley Cups in the 80s for Edmonton. He got there in a trade that included sending Andy Moog to the Boston Bruins, the team that drafted Ranford. He played for a few different teams in his long career, but the Oilers were the most notable for him. Other good buys include Dwayne Roloson, Curtis Joseph, and Tommy Salo.

A second group of all traders can easily be established from all the steps that Edmonton has made in the past years, as we see in the honorable mention. Hopefully, this team changes over the years as the Oilers get better and win more trophies.