Ex-Oilers prospect Kesselring thriving with new team
The Edmonton Oilers may be kicking themselves for a trade they made a few seasons ago.
Back at the 2023 NHL trade deadline ā the same one that saw the team acquire veteran Mattias Ekholm ā the Oilers GM at the time, Ken Holland, also made another deal to bring in Nick Bjugstad from the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes.
At the time, grabbing Bjugstad made some sense as it gave the Oilers a veteran centreman to help their depth for an upcoming playoff run. Not many fans thought twice about the Oilers sending back prospect defender Michael Kesselring in the deal.
Yet, it looks like Kesselring has developed quickly into an NHL regular with the Utah Hockey Club and would have been right at home on an Oilers team currently looking to fill a few holes.
Kesselring ties us up at 3ļøā£! pic.twitter.com/ZPoBuL8QZZ
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 17, 2024
Kesselring was never able to appear in an NHL while a member of the Oilers organization. He was initially drafted in the sixth round of the 2018 draft and spent three seasons playing in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors.
Upon getting traded, Kesselring was almost immediately called up to the NHL by the Coyotes and was able to notch three assists in nine games. He spent almost the entirety of last season in the NHL, picking up five goals and 21 points in 65 games with Arizona.
The 24-year-old right-handed defender is off to a very hot start with Utah this season as he is second in defensive scoring on the team with a goal and three points through five games. He’s also become a top-pairing defenceman for Utah, playing alongside Mikhail Sergachev.
This is exactly the type of player the Oilers need right now after the departures of Cody Ceci and Philip Broberg over the summer. It’s been a musical chairs act for Edmonton as they keep mixing up defence partners for both Darnell Nurse and Brett Kulak. None of Troy Stecher, Travis Dermott, or Ty Emberson have been able to cement a spot on the right side. The only RHD whose role is clearly defined is Evan Bouchard on the top pair.
As for Bjugstad, the Oilers got a total of seven goals and nine points in just 31 games between the regular season and playoffs. He then skipped town in the summer of 2023 to sign back with the Coyotes. He is now with Utah alongside Kesselring.
It’s easy to say that the Oilers may have lost this deal looking back on it now, but the rapid ascent of Kesselring has things looking a bit uglier than anybody expected.