Can Connor Brown play the whole season with Connor McDavid? Former Edmonton Oilers' [https://www.nhl.com/oilers] general manager (GM) Peter Chiarelli swung for the fences on a lot of trades. His most infamous deal for the Oilers was the "one-for-one" deal that saw Taylor Hall [https://www.nhl.com/player/taylor-hall-8475791] and Adam Larsson [https://www.nhl.com/player/adam-larsson-8476457] swap teams. The addition of Larsson was something the Oilers needed, but the loss of Hall led them to try to replace him with lesser options. Related: 5 Best Ken Holland Trades as Oilers' GM [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/rankings/five-best-ken-holland-trades-as-oilers-gm] Chiarelli had some really good trade luck for a lot of his smaller deals. Those small deals had a big impact in many ways. Let's dig into the three best Chiarelli trades he made as Oilers' GM. BEN SCRIVENS FOR ZACK KASSIAN Ben Scrivens [https://www.nhl.com/player/ben-scrivens-8475681] was a promising goaltender early in his career. First, playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Los Angeles Kings before finding a home with the Oilers. In the 2015-16 season the goaltending situation became crowded and the team had to deal one of them. Scrivens had been demoted to the AHL so he was the natural selection. Ben Scrivens. [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk4NjgyMjczMjQ2MDk1MTEx/usatsi_8823390_168401874_lowres.jpg] Ben Scrivens. This trade was one for one, and the Oilers took a gamble on Zack Kassian [https://www.nhl.com/player/zack-kassian-8475178]. Kassian was trying to build back his reputation and put his life together. So Chiarelli traded a goalie who wasn't going to play in the NHL for the Oilers again for a player who might turn things around if given the right support. In the end, Kassian ended up contributing a lot to the Oilers and more importantly, got his life on track. MARTIN GERNAT & 4TH ROUND PICK FOR PATRICK MAROON The acquisition of Patrick Maroon [https://www.nhl.com/player/pat-maroon-8474034] was an incredibly shrewd piece of business. Sending a 4th round pick and a prospect who was low in the pecking order for Maroon. Another trade during the 2015-16 season, this one saw two low-value assets turned into a roster player who would find himself playing with Connor McDavid [https://www.nhl.com/player/connor-mcdavid-8478402]. Patrick Maroon [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MTk4NjgyNTM0NzAyMjI5MjU1/usatsi_10561273_168401874_lowres.jpg] Patrick Maroon Maroon would play his more offensively productive years with the Oilers. Two years after being acquired he was sent to the New Jersey Devils. Those two years saw him play a lot in the Oilers top six. He would often crash the net and his physical play opened up the ice for McDavid. He would later win the Stanley Cup with two organizations: the St. Louis Blues [https://www.nhl.com/blues] and the Tampa Bay Lightning. [https://www.nhl.com/lightning] 82ND OVERALL & 126TH OVERALL IN 2017 DRAFT FOR 2017 78TH OVERALL PICK A 3rd round pick and a 5th round pick for a third round pick was Chiarelli's best trade. He packaged together the 82nd overall with the 126th overall to select a goalie that was high on his list at the 78th selection, Stuart Skinner. [https://www.nhl.com/player/stuart-skinner-8479973] He would never see the fruition of this selection playing in the NHL. It would take Skinner five years to play over 10 NHL contests and another year to become the starter for the Oilers and an NHL Calder Trophy Finalist. Related: Oilers' Skinner Should Win the 2023 Calder Trophy [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/analysis/oilers-skinner-should-win-the-2023-calder-trophy] Chiarelli made a lot of trades during his tenure. He had a lot of misses and a lot of deals where he gave up way more value than he got in return. But in these three lower profile deals his ability to find value shined through.
