The Oilers and Rangers have a trade history that still leaves scars in Edmonton and, in a few cases, feels like daylight robbery. That backdrop makes this meeting worth circling, even if the current focus is squarely on the ice and not the old paperwork.
Edmonton has ridden a soft early schedule and done what good teams are supposed to do: beat the weaker clubs and stay in the fight against the better ones. But the games are getting tougher now, and Mike Babcock needs to sort out which lines and pairings can actually hold up when the competition tightens.
That’s where the pressure starts to build on Connor Murphy, Alex Fornenton, Jake Walman and Owen Michaels. If the Oilers want to trust them in bigger roles, those four have to be better.
The Rangers connection goes way back, and some of the biggest moves between these teams helped reshape Edmonton’s story. The most painful one was the Mark Messier trade, made by Glen Sather in October 1991.
Another huge loss to New York came later, when Sather left for Manhattan in 2000. By then, Edmonton was already far removed from its glory days, with relocation chatter in the background involving Les Alexander and Houston in 1997 and 1998.
And then there was the strange sight of the 1994 Rangers winning the Stanley Cup with an “Oilers east” roster.
The first notable deal between the clubs came in 1981, when Sather sent power forward Cam Connor and a third-round pick to the Rangers for scoring winger Donny Murdoch. Sather also pulled Rick Chartraw from New York for a ninth-round pick ahead of the 1984 Cup run, then landed Reijo Ruotsalainen for the 1987 Stanley run.
There were more major exchanges after that. In late 1992, Kevin Lowe went to the Rangers.
In March 1993, Sather sent Esa Tikkanen to New York for Doug Weight, a trade that worked well for both sides. Weight became an important leader and played a key role in the late 1980’s playoff successes against the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
A year later, in March 1994, Craig MacTavish was dealt to the Rangers for Todd Marchant.
Those moves, along with a major trade with the Toronto Maple Leafs, marked the end of Edmonton’s glory years.
The teams have still kept dealing since then. In March 2003, Kevin Lowe brought in Radek Dvorak for Anson Carter.
In March 2004, Lowe added Petr Nedved. Peter Chiarelli later got Cam Talbot from the Rangers at the 2015 draft, sent Ryan Strome to New York for Ryan Spooner in 2018, and Ken Holland acquired Jayden Grubbe in 2023.
So yes, another deal between these two doesn’t feel far-fetched. Maybe someone like Sean Durzi?
On the Lowdown today, Jason Gregor will be the feature guest, and there’s also an effort to get an old friend to stop by. The show will cover Oilers-Rangers, Grey Cup weekend and more, from noon to 2pm on Sports 1440 and You Tube.
In Other News...
Oilers Win Came With A Bench Blunder Fans Will Debate
A win is a win, but Edmonton left the kind of side note that tends to linger with a fan base. The Oilers controlled enough of the night to bank two points, yet a blown power play sequence turned a comfortable edge into a little more stress than it needed to be, and it was the sort of bench detail that can get replayed long after the final horn.
Head coach Mike Babcock said the issue came down to a miscommunication behind the bench, which delayed the timeout call at a moment when Edmonton could have steadied things. He also pointed to the teams lighthearted rule for coach mistakes, with a donation going to the Childrens Cancer Society when the bench gets it wrong, a reminder that even in a victory, there was still a small penalty attached to the mess. [Read more 🡒]
Devils Made A Connor Hellebuyck Call Fans Wont Love
The goaltending market keeps getting a little more interesting around the Oilers, even if one of the names that had been floating around is not currently in play. With Edmonton always under a microscope when it comes to crease help, any hint of movement tends to draw attention, especially when the conversation is being fed by league chatter and speculation from outside the organization.
For now, the more immediate reminder is how quickly a goalie storyline can turn into a referendum on trust and timing. The Devils drew plenty of attention for their decision in Connor Hellebuycks return game against Winnipeg, and the reaction around that call showed how sensitive these situations can be for both players and fans. Edmonton will keep watching the market, but the latest noise only reinforces how much uncertainty still hangs over it. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Have A Jake Walman Problem They Didn't Expect
Jake Walmans first stretch with the Oilers has not gone the way either side likely imagined. He has been a healthy scratch five times in the last seven games, and when he has dressed, his ice time has been limited enough to suggest the coaching staff is still searching for a fit. For a player brought in to help stabilize the blue line, that is not the kind of early-season usage anyone wants to see.
Mike Babcock has made it clear the issue goes beyond just missed chances or uneven puck movement. The concern is Walmans play away from the puck, where the staff believes he is not meeting the standard the team needs. If that does not change, Edmonton may eventually have to weigh a difficult decision on a player with trade protection and a long-term contract, which makes the next few weeks worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]