Former Edmonton Oiler Warren Foegele spent three seasons with the team after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes for defenceman Ethan Bear ahead of the 2021-22 season.

He recorded 26 points in his first season and saw a slight increase to 28 in his second, and with his 6-foot-2, 204-pound frame and strong skating ability, it always felt like he had another level he could hit. It turns out, he did—reaching the 20-goal plateau for the first time and finishing with 22 goals and 43 points last season.

Yet, while he recorded his first 22-goal campaign last season, the following postseason was underwhelming, scoring just three goals and eight points in 22 playoff games. He stepped it up with two goals in the Stanley Cup Final, but he was inconsistent during the Oilers’ lengthy playoff run, which included a 12-game stretch without recording a point.

That said, if Foegele had delivered a steadier playoff performance, the Oilers might have been more inclined to keep him, but instead, last July saw almost an unofficial swap between Edmonton and the Los Angeles Kings. Rather than re-signing Foegele, the Oilers went after the more proven Viktor Arvidsson, signing him to a two-year deal worth $4 million annual average value (AAV), while Foegele cashed in on a three-year contract worth $3.5 million AAV with the Kings.

Because of that unofficial swap, it’s tough not to compare the two forwards, which we’ll dive into shortly. But first, let’s take a closer look at Foegele’s season with the Kings. And a fair warning—for those who can’t quite stomach seeing ex-Oilers succeed in uniforms other than the orange and blue, brace yourself—because Foegele is having a heck of a season.

He’s averaging just over 16 minutes per game with the Kings, two minutes more a night than the  Oilers last season and has tallied 43 points so far, which is a new career high. He’s also scored 22 goals—20 of them at 5v5, including six game-winning goals, tying him with Anze Kopitar for the team lead.

On top of that, he’s a +32 in plus/minus, which leads the team and ranks 9th in the NHL. Additionally, his advanced numbers are strong. According to Natural Stat Trick, the 29-year-old ranks as follows among all NHL forwards at 5v5 (minimum 600 mins played):

In addition, the former Oiler has found a home on the third line alongside Phillip Danault and Trevor Lewis. The trio has played 295.06 minutes together, and they’re a tough unit that not only shuts down the opposition but has also outscored them, holding an 18-7 goals-for edge at 5v5 this season.

All in all, Foegele is killing it with the Kings this season. However, if you’re struggling with the fact that he’s tearing it up with a division rival and wishing he was still an Oiler, it might lessen the sting knowing he ‘hates the Oilers’—a line he dropped with a playful tone in a recent interview, saying, “Totally—I hate the Oilers too, it’s just part of the game.”

While the Markham, ON native has set another career-high in points with the Kings, it’s hard to talk about Foegele without also mentioning his ‘replacement,’ in a sense, on the Oilers—Viktor Arvidsson.

Over the last three seasons, Arvidsson has posted the higher single-season point total between him and Foegele, with 59 points in the 2022-23 campaign, but was limited to just 18 games last season due to injuries. Still, the Oilers took a chance on him, and while it hasn’t paid off yet—not that it’s a competition—Foegele, with 43 points, has come out ahead in the regular season so far.

Arvidsson has tallied 13 goals and 12 assists in 59 games, with Leon Draisaitl being the centerman he’s played with the most at 5v5. This translates to a .41 points-per-game (PPG) rate, compared to Foegele’s .57 PPG and while the numbers show that Foegele’s had a better season, I want to highlight a positive that can’t be overlooked.

It’s taken the Swede some time to find his groove with the Oilers, dealing with injuries and possibly adjusting to the team systems. However, he’s looked more settled, comfortable, and confident recently, particularly during his most productive run over the last 13 games. During this stretch, Arvidsson has scored six goals, which translates to a 38-goal pace over a span of 82 games, which includes scoring the game-winner against the Vegas Golden Knights on April 1st and has scored three goals in his last three games overall.

Foegele, on the other hand, has posted similar numbers, with five goals in his last 13 games. Now, given all that’s transpired this season, and how they’re currently playing, which player would you choose to have on the Oilers for the playoffs? It’s a tough call.

While Arvidsson’s regular season as a whole has been somewhat underwhelming, he’s heating up at just the right time, and all of Oil Country is hoping that he carries that momentum into the playoffs. Foegele has made a bigger impact in the regular season with the Kings, but all eyes will be on how these two match up in the final stretch, with the playoffs ultimately being the true test.

The Oilers and Kings are set to face off on April 5th in what promises to be a spirited affair, with both teams just two points apart in the standings. Given the way things are trending, it seems the hockey gods have a cheeky sense of humour, as both teams could very well meet again in the first round for the fourth consecutive season—this time with an unofficial player swap in the mix.

With that in mind, based on how they’re playing right now, who would you rather have for the Oilers in the playoffs – Warren Foegele or Viktor Arvidsson?