NY Rangers Star Lands With Oilers in 2016 NHL Re-Draft

In a redo of the 2016 NHL Draft, a New York Rangers star ends up with the Edmonton Oilers.

May 29, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; A view of the logo of the Edmonton Oilers on the jersey of goaltender Stuart Skinner (74) during the game between the Dallas Stars and the Edmonton Oilers in game five of the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The 2016 NHL Draft was a memorable one for the New York Rangers because they came away with defenseman Adam Fox.

Selected in the third round, No. 66 overall, with a pick originally owned by the Calgary Flames, Fox informed the Carolina Hurricanes that he would only agree to a deal with the Rangers. So, they flipped the pick to New York in exchange for a second-round pick in 2019 and a third-round pick in 2020.

Fox has enjoyed a great career to this point with the Rangers. He is one of the most productive defensemen in the NHL, a true difference maker at the blue line. That is why, in a recent redo of the 2016 NHL Draft, New York’s defenseman is off the board well before the third round.

In a piece recently done by Rachel Kryshak and Greg Wyshynski of ESPN, they re-drafted the 2016 NHL Draft. Wyshynski has Fox being picked No. 2 by the Winnipeg Jets, while Kryshak has Fox coming off the board at No. 4, being selected by the Edmonton Oilers.

Adam Fox lands with Oilers in redo of 2016 NHL Draft

Feb 17, 2023; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Kailer Yamamoto (56) and New York Rangers defensemen Adam Fox (23) follow a loose puck during the third period at Rogers Place. / Perry Nelson-Imagn Images

“This could have gone either way, and yes, like Tkachuk, we're pretending that Fox would play on an Alberta team that drafts him,” she wrote.

With the original No. 4 pick, the Oilers selected Jesse Puljujarvi. The right winger hasn’t come close to living up to expectations placed on a top-five pick. He spent parts of six seasons with Edmonton before being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes ahead of the deadline in 2023.

Parts of the next two seasons were spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins before they traded him to the Florida Panthers in 2025. He didn’t appear in an NHL game this past season, as the Oilers certainly wish they could have that pick back.

Replacing Puljujarvi with Fox is something that dreams are made of for Edmonton fans. Imagine what their lineup would look like having him on the blue line with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl alongside him on the first line?

Adam Fox finds the back of the net here — Fox is now on a seven-game point streak. #NYR pic.twitter.com/tewoGlhCJ7

— Snark Messier (@SnarkMessier) April 6, 2026

“The thought of Fox passing the puck to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is a fairytale. Fox's numbers would be close to Cale Makar's if he plays with them, and Edmonton would have a defenseman who is not only capable of moving the puck well, but at an elite level,” Kryshak added.

Since McDavid began his storied career in 2015, the Oilers have advanced to the Western Conference Finals three times. Twice, they were able to make the Stanley Cup finals, but both times they were defeated by the Florida Panthers.

Would things have been different with a player of Fox’s caliber as part of their defensive group? It is certainly fair to say yes, and more runs to the final could have been made with that kind of talent on the roster.

New York is certainly happy to have Fox anchoring one of the best defensive pairings in the NHL.