Ex-Edmonton Oilers’ Peter Chiarelli in the running for another NHL GM job
It’s a story that almost seems implausible.
The Edmonton Oilers fired Peter Chiarelli over seven years ago, after a tumultuous four-season run with the team. That might be putting it mildly.
He traded away Taylor Hall, who won the Hart Trophy two years later. He also dealt Jordan Eberle away and basically had nothing to show for it just a year later. There was also the decision to trade first and second-round draft picks for Griffin Reinhart.
Despite those transgressions, there are apparently teams that have shown interest in hiring the ex-Oilers GM.
The Vancouver Canucks had reported interest in bringing Chiarelli on board after he was canned by the Oilers in 2019. Then in 2021, he interviewed for the Chicago Blackhawks general manager position, before the team decided to hire Kyle Davidson instead.
Well, it looks like history could be repeating itself here in 2026.
TSN’s Darren Dreger reported that Peter Chiarelli was leaving his position as VP of Hockey Operations for the St. Louis Blues to “pursue other opportunities,” and that he would be a candidate for the Nashville Predators GM job.
The @StLouisBlues front office is changing with Kevin Maxwell and Peter Chiarelli leaving the club to pursue other opportunities. Chiarelli is a candidate in Nashville’s interview process and Maxwell is expected to return to the New York Rangers in a management role.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 27, 2026
Chiarelli has been working for the Blues ever since departing Edmonton. He was initially hired as a consultant back in 2019 before being promoted in 2021.
Barry Trotz announced earlier this season that he would be stepping down as Predators GM, but would remain in the position until someone was hired.
NHL insider Pierre LeBrun also reported that Nashville is casting a wide net, and that as many as 15 people could be interviewed for the job.
Chiarelli would certainly qualify as one of the most experienced candidates available. He’s been in NHL front offices since 1999, when he first joined the Ottawa Senators. Of course, he helped manufacture a Stanley Cup-winning team for the Boston Bruins back in 2011 as well.
However, most of that Cup-winning goodwill was erased during his time in Edmonton, and it has seemingly been a roadblock to him handling another GM role.