Brett Kulak's Edmonton Return Highlights NHL's Most Questionable Trade
There are players who slip away, and then there is Brett Kulak. The Edmonton Oilers didn't just let him go—they essentially handed him over in a December transaction that many hockey analysts now rank among the top three worst trades of the 2025-26 NHL season, if not the absolute worst.
A Painful Reminder on Home Ice
Just in case the Oilers needed a stark reminder of their misstep, Kulak returned to Rogers Place on Monday night, contributing to his new team's 2-1 shootout victory. His performance served his former club a substantial portion of humble pie, reinforcing the trade's lopsided nature.
"Kuley has quietly come in and he's just, defensively, he's kind of the human eraser out there," said Colorado Avalanche assistant coach Dave Hakstol, a Drayton Valley native. "He just goes out and takes care of plays and the puck finds its way out of the zone."
Hakstol elaborated on Kulak's value: "He's so efficient in the way he defends and moves you out of the zone that he's been really valuable. Great person, great human being in the dressing room, he's fit in really well and very much a well-liked teammate."
The Complex Trade Web
To clarify, the Oilers did not trade Kulak directly to the Avalanche. Colorado has led the league standings all season and hardly required Edmonton's assistance to maintain that position through the regular season's conclusion. However, they benefited indirectly.
After the Pittsburgh Penguins—the team Edmonton initially traded Kulak to—placed the defenseman on the trade block in February, the Avalanche acted swiftly. Recognizing a solid roster addition fresh from consecutive Stanley Cup Finals appearances, Colorado acquired Kulak without hesitation.
The Avalanche sent Pittsburgh a 2028 second-round draft pick and defenseman Samuel Girard in exchange. Meanwhile, the Penguins had already received goaltender Stuart Skinner and a 2029 second-round draft pick from Edmonton. Simplifying the math by removing Kulak from both sides, the Penguins ultimately gave up only goaltender Tristan Jarry and forward Sam Poulin across these transactions.
Edmonton's Costly Calculations
Edmonton, in contrast, ended up with a goaltender who has posted inferior statistics compared to Skinner's performance this season. Additionally, they created a gap in their defensive lineup that they later addressed at the trade deadline by acquiring Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks—a move that cost them another second-round draft pick, this time from 2028.
Consider the implications: two second-round draft picks expended merely to exchange second-pairing defensemen (Murphy currently occupies that role in Edmonton, while Kulak does so in Colorado) and downgrade from a starting goaltender (Skinner) to a backup (Jarry). It's little surprise that the Oilers are far from being heavy favorites to secure the Western Conference title and make another Stanley Cup Finals run this year.
Divergent Fortunes
The Avalanche, with their 115 points already securing the President's Trophy as the league's top regular-season team heading into the final week, stand as heavy favorites indeed. Kulak expressed his satisfaction with the move from the visitors' dressing room at Rogers Place after Monday's morning skate: "A hundred per cent. We say it's an ideal situation when you move. We couldn't ask for a better situation."
Kulak's seamless integration into a championship-contending team only magnifies the Oilers' miscalculation. While Colorado strengthens its roster with a reliable defenseman, Edmonton faces questions about asset management and strategic planning as they navigate the postseason landscape.
