Oilers’ Record of Signing Former Oil Kings Not Stellar

There have been a few rumours swirling this offseason about the Edmonton Oilers possibly being interested in former Edmonton Oil Kings and current Detroit Red Wings goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa. If I’m Oilers general manager (GM) Stan Bowman, I would proceed with caution, considering the Oilers’ recent history with signing former Oil Kings.

Despite having a solid 2025-26 American Hockey League (AHL) season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Cossa may have been surpassed on the Red Wings goaltending depth chart by Michael Postava. It also looks like the Red Wings are high on former Michigan State prospect Trey Augustine and it leaves one to wonder why there are so many rumours of the possibility of Cossa being available for a trade.

Oilers’ Recent History With Former Oil Kings Has Not Been Fruitful

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

Oilers Have Signed Former Oil Kings Goalies Before

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

Meanwhile, Jarry, who was acquired for Stuart Skinner on Dec. 12, 2025, has not lived up to expectations in Edmonton. Many were hoping he would recapture the championship pedigree he had with the Oil Kings and lead the Oilers far into the playoffs. Unfortunately, injuries caught up to him and he was supplanted by Connor Ingram as the Oilers’ starter. Time will tell whether Jarry can recapture the form that made him a champion in junior.

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

The top three former Oil Kings are Dylan Guenther of the Utah Mammoth, Kaiden Guhle of the Montreal Canadiens, and Jake Neighbours of the St. Louis Blues. The likeable Curtis Lazar, who signed with the Oilers for 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 exception would be former Oil Kings forward Glen Sather, who was a journeyman NHL player but found Hall of Fame success as head coach and GM in Edmonton in both the NHL and World Hockey Association.

Does Edmonton Overvalue Hometown Junior Players?

There could be a case that some people in the Oilers organization, as well as others in the mainstream media, overvalue Oil Kings players. Cossa might be one example. Others include Reinhart, Brossoit, and Jarry. It could be a fondness for players after watching them so closely; it’s really hard to pinpoint how and why former Oil Kings don’t become stars for the Oilers. Oftentimes it comes down to draft order, while in other cases it’s a miscalculation of a player’s long-term potential. No one can predict the future.

Oilers Will Draft a Hometown Star from the Oil Kings Someday

The current streak of former Oil Kings not hitting it big with the Oilers can’t 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 Arbour who played in Edmonton and went on to have Hall of Fame careers.

There’s still some faint hope that Jarry can turn things around in Edmonton. If not, he becomes another former Oil King who couldn’t elevate his game with the Oilers. Someday, there will be the perfect storm in Edmonton, where the Oilers sign an Oil Kings prospect who goes on to a great NHL career with the hometown team. Given Edmonton’s rich hockey history, it’s not a matter of if but when.