Oilers Acquire Former First Round Draft Pick From Montreal Canadiens in Trade

The Edmonton Oilers are sending minor league defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer to the Canadiens in exchange for Jacob Perreault, a former first round draft pick currently playing in the ECHL.

Noel Hoefenmayer has been a quality minor league defenceman for the Oilers AHL team this season, scoring 1 goal and 7 points in 11 games so far this year.

After being drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in the 4th round of the 2017 draft, Hoefenmayer spent most of his time developing in the Maple Leafs system before joining the Oilers organization last year. He's a big, physical defenceman that's not rounding out a more complete game at 25 years old.

Perreault on the other hand has been sliding down the Habs' depth chart, and has found himself in the ECHL. In 6 AHL games this year, Perreault scored 0 points.

The Montreal native Perreault was selected by the Anaheim Ducks 27th overall in the 2020 NHL draft after a strong junior career, but his production never translated to the professional level. Perreault played 1 NHL game with the Ducks before being sent back to the AHL, and then traded to Montreal, where he's declined further - but he's still only 22 years old. There's time for him to turn it around.

It's a continuation of a pattern now with the Oilers of trying to identify recently valued talent and rehab them in the organization.

A few weeks ago, the Oilers signed former first round pick Brayden Tracey to a tryout contract. He was later cut from the Bakersfield Condors.

Right now, this move seems like a simple need from the Oilers positionally to address the injury crisis in the AHL, and they may have had to make a one-sided trade to do so. Hoefenmayer seems to be a higher valued player than Perreault, but it's a long shot for either to make the NHL.