Given the fact that the Oilers return amounted to not much and Matthias Ekholm has been an elite defenceman, it may be fair to say the trade was one of the most lob sided in recent NHL history. Other contenders may include
Erik Karlsson to the Penguins,
Filip Hronek to the Vancouver Canucks, and perhaps
Jakob Chychrun to the Washington Capitals. Still, out of all of those deals, the Oilers may have improved their most for the longest period of time, for the lowest cost.