Discussion about the blockbuster trade made Friday (Dec. 12) between the Edmonton Oilers and Pittsburgh Penguins has centered almost exclusively on the two goalies changing teams: Tristan Jarry and Stuart Skinner.
Related: Oilers Acquire Tristan Jarry & Spencer Stastney In Multiple Trades
For Edmonton, the deal was all about trying to upgrade in goal. The Oilers weren’t quite able to capture the Stanley Cup with Skinner as their No. 1 netminder, and now hope that Jarry can be the masked man who backstops them to a championship. The success of this trade will rightly be determined by what happens between the pipes.
But Friday’s deal was not merely a goalie-for-goalie swap. There were other components to the transaction, and one in particular that deserves focus.
Kulak Flew Under Radar in Edmonton
Rounding out the trade, the Oilers received Samuel Poulin, a 24-year-old forward that has thus far spent most of his pro career in the minors, while parting with a 2029 second-round draft pick and veteran defenceman Brett Kulak.
Kulak had been a fixture on Edmonton’s blue line since being acquired by the Oilers in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens on March 21, 2022. The born-and-raised Edmontonian totalled 15 goals and 56 assists in 295 regular season games and added three goals and 18 assists in 75 postseason contests wearing Oilers colours.
It’s kind of fitting that Kulak isn’t being talked about much in his departure from Edmonton, because he barely got any attention over the three-plus years playing in his hometown.
And maybe that’s why there hasn’t been a lot of concern raised in Oil Country about losing Kulak’s services, because there was never quite an appreciation for what he brought to the Oilers in the first place.
Kulak Provided Oilers With Consistent Play
Kulak was a model of consistency for the Oilers. He never missed a single game during his Edmonton tenure, extending an ironman streak that began while he was still in Montreal. Last season, Kulak logged over 20 minutes per game and finished third on the Oilers in total time on ice.
On an Oilers team that has no shortage of highly skilled defencemen prone to egregious errors, Kulak was someone that could be counted on to play mistake-free hockey. He didn’t have the offensive impact of an Evan Bouchard or even Darnell Nurse, but he also didn’t serve up a pizza every other game.
Kulak Was Key Part of Oilers’ Success
Kulak’s time as an Oiler coincides with the team’s evolution from annual disappointment to perennial Stanley Cup contender: Before he arrived in Edmonton, the Oilers had won a grand total of one playoff round in the previous 15 years; in his four postseasons with the Oilers, Edmonton won an incredible nine series, and reached at least Round 2 every year.
In a testament to his steady play, Kulak led all Oilers skaters in short-handed minutes and ranked second in even-strength minutes during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs. At the point on the NHL calendar when pressure is at its highest, and a single play can be the difference between going home and advancing to the next round, Kulak was the man that Edmonton coach Kris Knoblauch trusted.
Kulak Could Play Tuesday Against Oilers
It was noted by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman during Hockey Central pre-game on Saturday (Dec. 13) that the Oilers really didn’t want to part with Kulak, but the defenceman’s inclusion in the trade is how Edmonton was able to get the deal done.
It’s only been a few days since the trade, but the Oilers may find out immediately what they’re missing: in a wild twist, Kulak and Skinner are both set to make their Pittsburgh debut on Tuesday (Dec. 16) night, when the Penguins host Edmonton at PPG Paints Arena. Game time is 5:30 p.m. MST.
