Edmonton Oilers

What Was Peter Chiarelli’s Worst Trade as the Oilers’ GM?

Peter Chiarelli made some bad trades as the Edmonton Oilers GM. What was his worst trade for the Oilers? Who might have he picked instead?

by
Old Prof
December 20, 2024

During his time as the General Manager for the Edmonton Oilers, Peter Chiarelli made a few trades that left fans and analysts wondering what he was thinking. However, one trade stands out as perhaps the worst in terms of long-term impact. It was the deal that saw the Oilers send away two key draft picks for a defenseman who never amounted to much at all – that blueliner was Griffin Reinhart.

Chiarelli Traded a 1st & 2nd Round Pick for Griffin Reinhart

Chiarelli’s move went horribly wrong. The two draft picks who went to the New York Islanders for Reinhart became stars in the NHL. At the time of the trade, Reinhart wasn’t close to being a top-four defenseman. Sure, he went fourth overall in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, but that turned out to be smoke and mirrors. He never became the player the Oilers hoped he could become.

The trade, made in June 2015, saw the Oilers send their first and second-round picks (16th and 33rd overall) to the Islanders for Reinhart. What Chiarelli was thinking, who knew? Reinhart had only played eight games for the Islanders the season before and had averaged just over 14 minutes of ice time per game. He was far from being a standout. But somehow, considering the picks they gave up, the Oilers’ expectations were high.

Peter Chiarelli Oilers GM trades — Peter Chiarelli worst trades as GM of the Edmonton Oilers

When he arrived in Edmonton, Reinhart’s ice time increased to 18 minutes a night for 29 games. However, he never met the team’s expectations, and the Oilers soon moved him to the Vegas Golden Knights. He was soon out of the NHL.

The Fallout from That Disastrous Trade: What the Oilers Gave Up

The Islanders made the most of the trade. They used the first-round pick (16th overall) to select Mathew Barzal. Barzal has emerged as a dynamic NHL forward and an Islanders stalwart. Imagine how he would look in an Oilers uniform if the team would have kept that pick.

The Islanders used the second-round pick (33rd overall) in a deal that gave them two added picks. Several impactful players were drafted after that second-round pick. These included Roope Hintz, Vince Dunn, and Rasmus Andersson. All have succeeded in the NHL.

Chiarelli Made Other Mistakes, But Reinhart Is Memorable

While the Reinhart trade was one of Chiarelli’s worst errors, it wasn’t the only one. During his time at the helm, the Oilers’ roster was filled with missteps, from questionable signings to poor trades. However, none quite matched the sad trade of two first- and second-round picks for a player who didn’t meet anyone’s expectations.

Reinhart’s last professional season was in 2021-22 with the Belfast Giants in the EIHL (British Elite Ice Hockey League). In total, he played 37 NHL games, scoring zero goals and registering two assists.