The Edmonton Oilers' history at the draft table has been marked by struggles, significantly contributing to their limited playoff appearances since the 2000-01 season. This period included acquiring four first-overall picks in six years: Taylor Hall (2010), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Nail Yakupov (2012), and Connor McDavid (2015).
While star players were drafted, the team lacked NHL-caliber talent beyond the first round, hindering overall success. Quality depth is crucial, and Edmonton only began improving its draft strategy significantly after Ken Holland became general manager in 2019.
Leadership changes, including Kevin Lowe, Steve Tambellini, Craig MacTavish, and Peter Chiarelli, preceded Holland. Keith Gretzky's arrival improved the 2017 draft class, and picks made under Chiarelli have since shown promise. The impact of new GM Stan Bowman remains to be seen.
Recent picks like Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway offer future hope. Jeff Jackson, CEO of Hockey Operations, bolstered the prospect pool by trading Ryan McLeod and Tyler Tullio for Matt Savoie. Though the Oilers have had drafting successes like Leon Draisaitl (3rd overall, 2014), Stuart Skinner (78th overall, 2017), and Evan Bouchard (10th overall, 2018), they have also accumulated a notable number of draft busts over the years.
Here are 10 of the most significant draft busts for the Oilers, starting from the 2000 NHL Draft.
#10 – RW Jesse Puljujarvi
Height/Weight: 6'4" 201 lbs | Birthplace: Alvkarleby, SWE
Draft: 2016 – 1st round – 4th overall | Projection: Top 6 Playmaking Forward
GM & Head Scout: Peter Chiarelli, Bob Green
NHL Totals: 387 GP – 58 G – 70 A – 128 PTS
Puljujarvi was a standout player at the 2016 World Juniors, leading Finland to gold. He seemed like a sure bet. The Oilers favored Matthew Tkachuk, but with Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, and Puljujarvi projected to go in the top three, the Columbus Blue Jackets' surprise pick of Pierre Luc-Dubois at third overall led to Puljujarvi falling to Edmonton at fourth. They selected him over Tkachuk.
Both Puljujarvi and the Oilers faced challenges. Edmonton rushed him to the NHL and mishandled his development. Puljujarvi lacked the necessary hockey intelligence and instincts for an elite NHL scorer. He has proven to be a capable but unremarkable NHL player, strong defensively but needing more offensive output given his draft position. Injuries, including hip surgeries, further hampered his ability to meet high expectations.
Notable players drafted after: Matthew Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy, Alex DeBrincat
#9 – D Doug Lynch
Height/Weight: 6'3" 214 lbs | Birthplace: North Vancouver, BC
Draft: 2001 – 2nd round – 43rd overall | Projection: No. 4 Shutdown Defenseman
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: 2 GP – 0 G – 0 A – 0 PTS
Despite being a second-round pick, Lynch failed to meet expectations. He had a strong WHL career and was considered a solid second-round selection in 2001.
Injuries significantly impacted his development, particularly a wrist injury affecting his puck handling. After four years, Edmonton traded him to the St. Louis Blues for Chris Pronger. Lynch spent two more seasons in the Blues' system without playing another NHL game before moving to Europe.
He played 11 professional seasons across various leagues, retiring after the 2013-14 season. His junior career highlight was winning the 2001 Memorial Cup.
Notable players drafted around him: Mike Zigomanis, Mike Cammalleri, Chris Thorburn, Jason Pominville, Jay McClement
#8 – LW Magnus Paajarvi
Height/Weight: 6'2" 205 lbs | Birthplace: Norrkoping, Sweden
Draft: 2009 – 1st round – 10th overall | Projection: Top 6 Power Forward
GM & Head Scout: Steve Tambellini, Stu MacGregor
NHL Totals: 467 GP – 62 G – 62 A – 124 PTS
Paajarvi's strong 2009 World Juniors performance boosted his draft stock. He was already playing in Sweden's top league as a teenager, leading to excitement about a quick-skating power forward.
He joined the Oilers in 2010-11 after success at international tournaments. Paajarvi posted 34 points in his rookie year but struggled to replicate that success, splitting time between the NHL and AHL. He accumulated 58 points in 163 games as an Oiler before being traded for David Perron.
Paajarvi spent subsequent seasons with the St. Louis Blues and Ottawa Senators, also playing in the AHL. He has since played in Europe for the past seven seasons, at best remaining a borderline NHL player.
Notable players drafted after: Ryan Ellis, Calvin de Haan, Zack Kassian, Dmitri Kulikov, Nick Leddy, Chris Kreider
#7 – D Alex Plante
Height/Weight: 6'5" 229 lbs | Birthplace: Brandon, MAN
Draft: 2007 – 1st round – 15th overall | Projection: No. 4 Shutdown Defenseman
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: 10 GP – 0 G – 2 A – 2 PTS
Skepticism surrounded Plante's selection, especially as it was part of the trade package that sent Ryan Smyth to the New York Islanders. Other players in that deal, Robert Nilsson and Ryan O'Marra, also did not pan out.
Plante had a decent junior career but missed significant development time due to a back injury. Upon turning pro, he struggled with mobility and foot speed, diminishing his physical advantage. Injuries, including four concussions in the AHL, further complicated his progression. He played only two NHL games for the Oilers.
After parting ways with the Oilers in 2013, Plante played in Europe, eventually obtaining South Korean citizenship and playing for their national team in the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Notable players drafted after: Ian Cole
#6 – G Jeff Deslauriers
Height/Weight: 6'4" 203 lbs | Birthplace: St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
Draft: 2002 – 2nd round – 31st overall | Projection: No. 1 Goalie
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: 62 GP – 23 W – 3.24 GAA – 0.901 SV%
Deslauriers was ranked the top North American goaltender by ISS in his draft year and the second-best behind Kari Lehtonen. He possessed good size and mobility for a goalie.
His development was hampered by the Oilers' shared AHL franchise situation, limiting his ice time. He never received a fair chance and was surpassed by Devan Dubnyk, Edmonton's 2004 first-round pick. When Deslauriers finally got an opportunity as the No. 1 goalie, he struggled to secure the position.
After a career primarily in the AHL, Deslauriers played in Europe following stints with the Anaheim Ducks organization. He retired after the 2016-17 season and is now in commercial real estate.
Notable players drafted around him: Josh Harding, Trevor Daley
#5 – C Jesse Niinimaki
Height/Weight: 6'3" 196 lbs | Birthplace: Tampere, Finland
Draft: 2002 – 1st round – 15th overall | Projection: Top 6 Offensive Center
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: Never played
The Oilers hoped Niinimaki would form a strong core with Alexei Mikhnov and Ales Hemsky. They envisioned him as the big, rangy center they needed.
Niinimaki never played in the NHL. His only North American professional experience was a 24-game stint in the AHL during the 2004-05 lockout. He missed much of that season due to a shoulder injury and returned to Finland. He continued playing in Finland for another decade, last appearing in the 2016-17 season.
Notable players drafted after: Boyd Gordon, Sean Bergenheim, Alexander Steen
#4 – C Rob Schremp
Height/Weight: 5'11" 201 lbs | Birthplace: Fulton, New York
Draft: 2004 – 1st round – 25th overall | Projection: Top 6 Scoring Forward
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: 114 GP – 20 G – 34 A – 54 PTS
Schremp's reputation as an elite offensive talent with the London Knights generated high expectations. He was a prolific scorer, but a significant portion of his points came on the power play, raising questions about his all-around game and foot speed.
Despite his junior success, his attitude, foot speed, and defensive awareness were lacking. His game did not evolve, leading to only seven NHL games with the Oilers before he was waived. He also played for the New York Islanders and Atlanta Thrashers, followed by stints in Europe.
Notable players drafted after: Cory Schneider, Mike Green, Dave Bolland
#3 – LW Alexei Mikhnov
Height/Weight: 6'5" 200 lbs | Birthplace: Kiev, Ukraine
Draft: 2000 – 1st round – 17th overall | Projection: Top 6 Power Forward
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Barry Fraser
NHL Totals: 2 GP – 0 G – 0 A – 0 PTS
This pick, Barry Fraser's last as head scout, was a major miss. Mikhnov took years to come to North America and left early in his only season to return to Russia, disappointing the organization and fans.
He played part of the 2006-07 season with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins, recording 18 points in 27 games. He also played two brief, unremarkable games for the Oilers that year, essentially amounting to an extended North American trip.
Notable players drafted after: Brooks Orpik, Alexander Frolov, Anton Volchenkov, Brad Boyes, Justin Williams
#2 – C Marc-Antoine Pouliot
Height/Weight: 6'1" 187 lbs | Birthplace: Quebec City, QC
Draft: 2003 – 1st round – 22nd overall | Projection: Top 6 Two-Way Center
GM & Head Scout: Kevin Lowe, Kevin Prendergast
NHL Totals: 192 GP – 21 G – 36 A – 57 PTS
The 2003 draft class was exceptionally deep. While many teams found franchise cornerstones, the Oilers missed significantly by taking Pouliot 22nd overall. Ryan Kesler, Mike Richards, and Corey Perry were selected shortly after.
Edmonton traded down from 17th overall to 22nd, using the 17th pick on Zach Parise. Pouliot never became more than a fringe NHLer, primarily seeing fourth-line minutes. He played five seasons within the Oilers system, mostly in the AHL, before their rights were relinquished. He later played for the Tampa Bay Lightning and Arizona Coyotes organizations before moving to Europe.
Notable players drafted after: Ryan Kesler, Mike Richards, Corey Perry
#1 – RW Nail Yakupov
Height/Weight: 5'11" 194 lbs | Birthplace: Nizhnekamsk, Russia
Draft: 2012 – 1st round – 1st overall | Projection: Elite Goal Scoring Winger
GM & Head Scout: Steve Tambellini, Stu MacGregor
NHL Totals: 350 GP – 62 G – 74 A – 136 PTS
Yakupov is widely considered the Oilers' biggest draft bust and one of the most notorious first-overall picks in NHL history, comparable to Alexandre Daigle and Patrik Stefan. He was projected as a perennial 40-goal scorer with exceptional speed and scoring ability.
His rookie season showed promise with 17 goals and 31 points in 48 games, earning him Calder Trophy votes. However, he never broke the 20-goal mark with Edmonton, was a defensive liability, and never scored more than 33 points in a season. In 2016, Edmonton traded him for Zach Pochiro and a conditional third-round pick, which was later used to draft goaltender Stuart Skinner.
Yakupov has since played for the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche, struggling to find consistent production. He is now playing in the KHL.
