For the past few years, Warren Foegele was a solid depth piece for the Edmonton Oilers. He had been acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes for defenceman Ethan Bear in the summer of 2021. The former Edmonton Oiler had a breakout season last year scoring 20 goals and putting up 41 points. Warren Foegele was a free agent last summer. The Edmonton Oilers let him walk and sign with the Los Angeles Kings for three years. Coincidentally, forward Viktor Arvidsson left the Los Angeles Kings to sign with the Oilers for two years. Losing Warren Foegele was a massive mistake for the Oilers.
Warren Foegele is having his best season
Warren Foegele is currently on pace to have his best season in the NHL. The 28-year-old is projected to have a 24-goal season with a total of 46 points. Foegele made great progress with the Oilers last season, so it was likely for him to continue his success with a fresh start elsewhere. In February, the forward was on fire, putting up five goals and eight points across eight games.
Warren Foegele serves as a valuable depth piece for the Los Angeles Kings. He plays on the third line with Philip Danault and Trevor Moore. This is an effective third line all around as they forecheck well and play physical. They also provide secondary scoring as the entire third line is on the second power play unit. This player swap has been great for the Los Angeles Kings who are battling with the Edmonton Oilers for second in the Pacific Division.
The player swap of Warren Foegele and Viktor Arvidsson was interesting. They are different players who bring opposite attributes to their respective teams. Warren Foegele brings a relentless playing style being good on the forecheck and penalty kill. Meanwhile, Viktor Arvidsson brings more speed and experience to the Oilers. This free agency swap seemed to favour Oilers initially, but things have not worked out as people expected.
Viktor Arvidsson has struggled in Edmonton
Viktor Arvidsson has had a disappointing season as an Oiler. The 31-year-old currently has just 10 goals and 22 points through 53 games played. It was expected of him to regain his offensive flair in Edmonton. However, the chemistry does not seem to be there in Oil Country. Arvidsson often plays on the third line, which is a lower spot in the lineup for a player of his caliber. The former 30-goal scorer has struggled to find consistency in his game.
Over the past four seasons, Arvidsson has gone through some injury issues. In 2022, Arvidsson missed the entire playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers due to a herniated disk. This was a huge loss for the Los Angeles Kings as they hoped for him to be healthy for the playoffs. Last season he only played in 18 games with the Kings due to multiple long-term injuries. Meanwhile, he has already missed 15 games this season due to more injury problems. His health seems to be a real issue as he has aged.
Before the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline passed, Arvidsson’s name appeared a few times in trade rumours. The fact that his name was involved in trade rumours is not a good sign in his first year with the team. Arvidsson has a no-move clause attached to his contract, so he will not get traded unless he approves it. Arvidsson along with teammate Jeff Skinner have been disappointing this year. At least newcomer Jake Walman has provided excellent support on the defensive core for the Oilers.
These teams may meet in the playoffs again
A crazy narrative following the Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings is that they could meet in the playoffs for the fourth straight year. These teams have gotten lots of playoff action against each other with the Edmonton Oilers winning all three series. Results have gotten worse for the Los Angeles Kings as they have lost in seven, six, and five games to the Oilers over the past three Stanley Cup Playoffs. If these teams meet again, Warren Foegele and Viktor Arvidsson will get to go head-to-head against their old teams.
Both of these players could be impactful in a playoff run. Warren Foegele and Viktor Arvidsson have played in the Stanley Cup Final coming just short of the ultimate goal. In 2017, Arvidsson was a key factor in the Nashville Predators’ road to the Stanley Cup Final. He was tied for third on the team in playoff points while also being tied for first in assists. The Nashville Predators went on to lose to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.
Warren Foegele had a similar experience with Oilers last season. They lost in Game 7 to the Florida Panthers after making a remarkable comeback to force Game 7. Foegele did not have as productive of a playoff run as Viktor Arvidsson in 2017, but he still was a valuable piece of secondary scoring. The former Oiler put up eight points across 22 games in the playoffs. Foegele was at his best in the Stanley Cup Final where he put up two goals and five points in the seven game series.
Do you think losing Warren Foegele was a mistake by the Edmonton Oilers?
Photo by Brett Holmes/Icon Sportswire
