Let’s say: the NHL design of 2016 could have changed a lot for the Edmonton Oilers- If they had made a different choice. With the fourth overall choice, Edmonton had the chance to grab Matthew Tkachuk-a nasty, skilled, play wing that had destroyed in Junior. But when the Columbus Blue Jackets surprised everyone Pierre-Luc Dubois take at number 3Finnish star Jesse Puljujärvi unexpectedly fell into the Oilers’ lap.
On paper it felt like a no-brainer. In reality, well, here we are.
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Meanwhile, the Calgary Flames – from all Teams -Tkachuk arrested at number 6. He became the kind of player fans who had landed in blue and orange: skilled, fiery, play-off built and an absolute nightmare to play against. So let’s do what we all like to do: ask “what if?” Question – what if the oilers had set up Matthew Tkachuk instead?
With the No. 4 Pick, the Edmonton Oilers select …
In 2016 Puljujärvi was the boy. He had produced at the World Juniors and looked like an ideal combination of size, speed and offensive benefit. When he dropped to No. 4, oilers fans were enthusiastic – the kind of “he should not have been here” moment that makes GMs look like geniuses.
But it never really clicked. Puljujärvi bounced between the American Hockey League (AHL) and NHL, was imprisoned in the unstable coaching carousel of the oilers and never found a consistent top-six place. He had good pieces, worked hard, seemed to love Olieland – but he didn’t seem to fit. Tkachuk? He fitted everywhere. And you better believe that he could fit in the top six of day 1 of Edmonton.
Imagine: standing in line for the oilers, McDavid, Draisaitl and Tkachuk …
Let us now imagine an alternative reality. It is 2017. Connor McDavid is in full flight. Leon Draisaitl comes up as a force. And Tkachuk – instead of wearing the “Flaming C” – plays on McDavid’s Wing, lives in the fold, walks in the corners and still sets 70+ points per season. He is not just a scorer. He drags his team into fight.
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And let’s be honest, the oilers could have used such a player when it became tight, as in their play -off run 2017, or that brutal 2021 Sweep by the Winnipeg Jets, or even during the recent Stanley Cup final. With Tkachuk, the oilers may not hang alone in that series. Might win them.
Calgary selected Tkachuk, and the rest is history
This not only stings because Tkachuk turned into a star and, the most recently, puts a double Stanley Cup champion it because Calgary got him at number 6. The Battle of Alberta was re -created thanks to the playing style of Tkachuk and the presence on the ice, and indeed that now legendary fight with Oilers’ Zack Kassian. Tkachuk was public enemy number one in Edmonton.
But here is the kicker: what if he had been an oiler? What if he was the player who caused chaos for the oilers, not against the oil land? Imagine that Tkachuk falls into a game 7 atmosphere -but wearing the oilers sweater. Tkachuk offers his team Swagger. He plunges himself directly into team culture and identity. The friendly teams are looking for years to help the Stanley Cup hoist.
What happened to Puljujärvi?
On the other hand, the story of Puljujärvi is difficult. He was not a bust. There was an attempt. There was character. However, he had difficulty finding a role in the Edmonton system and by 2019 he returned to Finland to reset. He returned stronger and had some solid runs, but consistency never came.
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In 2023 the oilers exchanged him to the Carolina Hurricanes and quiet ending what once felt like a franchise-changing choice. Sometimes it’s not about how good a player is – it’s about whether they are in the right place at the right time.
But if you are a fan of oilers, imagine …
… Tkachuk buzzes around the net while McDavid does his thing.
… Tkachuk takes the heat of Draisaitl in a play -off scrum.
… Tkachuk who throws the hit that turns the script in a game 7.
We have now seen what he does for the Florida Panthers. We saw it in Calgary. He is the kind of teammate who can tilt a Playoff series in one service – and the oilers had the chance to set him up at number 4.
Last thought in the oil country
The 2016 design not only helped to shape the oilers – it also helped to shape the flames (when considering these two players). Calgary took the player who became their emotional leader and then replaced him with good players when he left. Edmonton received a player who never completely found his foot – one of the biggest “what as” in the recent history of Oilers.
[Note: Oh, and by the way—ironically, Puljujärvi signed with the Panthers on March 5, 2025. He played five games beside Tkachuk last season.]
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And yes, it can prick a little for oilers fans everywhere. But if there is one thing that we have learned by years of missing concept choices and rebuilding, it is this: the next big swing is always around the corner.
[Note: I’d like to thank Brent Bradford (PhD) for his help co-authoring this post. His profile can be found at www.linkedin.com/in/brent-bradford-phd-3a10022a9]
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