Oilers nearly acquired McDonagh at 2016 NHL Draft

The Edmonton Oilers were close to acquiring two-time All-Star defenseman Ryan McDonagh in a 2016 deal, according to a report from Larry Brooks of the New York Post.

Less than a week after Peter Chiarelli was fired as general manager of the Oilers, new details have emerged regarding a potential move that could have altered the club's future.

According to Brooks' sources, the foundation of the trade would have sent McDonagh, a member of the New York Rangers at the time, to the Oilers in exchange for the fourth overall selection in the 2016 NHL draft.

Talks reached a serious stage according to Brooks, but the deal failed to come to fruition, as Chiarelli held onto the pick and selected Finnish prospect Jesse Puljujarvi instead.

Though underwhelming with 37 points in 132 career games so far, Puljujarvi was a consensus top lottery pick, making the decision defensible even three years after the fact. It's what came later that has left a sour taste for Oilers fans, and makes this latest revelation more difficult to grasp.

Less than a week removed from their chance to nab McDonagh, the Oilers made a bold gamble by shipping star forward Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson.

The decision to pass on McDonagh and trade Hall, has set Edmonton back at both ends of the ice. Hall went on to capture a Hart Trophy as league MVP, while Larsson has failed to round into form for a young and vulnerable defense core.

The Oilers currently own the league's 19th ranked offense and 23rd ranked defense, with 144 goals for and 163 against this season, despite rostering the game's top talent in Connor McDavid.

For a team that's been mired by poor judgement, this latest discovery adds to the Oilers' laundry list of sliding door moments.