Here's a transcript of Bob Nicholson's comments on Toby Rieder at this morning's STH breakfast.
OilersNation has no direct affiliation to the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers Entertainment Group, NHL, or NHLPA
Oilers from the past: Has Tobias Rieder finally started scoring goals?
Photo credit: USA TODAY Sports
By Zach Laing
Aug 23, 2026, 12:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 21, 2026, 14:07 EDT
One of the wilder stories in the past decade surrounding the Edmonton Oilers was hearing Bob Nicholson blame a failed 2018-19 season on Tobias Rieder.
I mean, come on.
In 67 games in Tobias Rieder’s lone season with the Oilers, he was as snakebitten as they come, notching 11 assists but failing to find the back of the net. It wasn’t for lack of trying, as according to Natural Stat Trick, he generated 8.32 individual expected goals with the chances he was getting.
What didn’t help his case was the fact that the Oilers got caved in when he was on the ice, getting outscored 19-10.
But this single season with the Oilers, one where he signed as a free agent for $2 million and then was not given a qualifying offer, was actually his second stint with the team. Edmonton drafted Rieder in the fourth round of the 2011 draft, but never signed with the team and was subsequently traded to the Phoenix Coyotes for Kale Kessey.
The irony of it all was Rieder would sign with the rival Calgary Flames the following season, and would end the drought, scoring four goals and 10 points in 55 games. He joined the Buffalo Sabres in 2020-21, potting five goals and seven points in 44 games, marking so far the end of his pro career in North America.
Rieder returned overseas in 2021-22, spending three seasons with the SHL’s Växjö Lakers HC, scoring 34 goals and 69 points in 118 games.
What defined Tobias Rieder’s time with the Edmonton Oilers?
It was, to put it simply, his lack of goals. Nicholson’s comments came during a season ticket holder breakfast in late March 2019, and the late Bruce McCurdy of The Edmonton Journal had a transcript of the quotes.
Amongst the various quotes, this is the one that lives on in Oilers lore:
“If Toby Reider would have scored 10 to 12 goals, we’d probably be in the playoffs.”
As Nicholson mentioned, the Oilers hoped Rieder, who played with Leon Draisaitl in Germany at the 2013 World Juniors, would be able to rekindle some of the success the pair had at that tournament. But it never came to be. Edmonton missed the playoffs for a second straight year by 11 points.
Rieder told reporters afterward that he was offended by the comments of the Oilers CEO. Nicholson would soon apologize.
“You look at it and you kind of can’t believe it,” Rieder said at the time. “I feel like it’s disappointing and I’m offended by it. I’m the first one to admit that I [haven’t had] a good year and it has not been an easy season for me. It’s been hard but I’m still going out there and giving 100 per cent every time I’m on the ice every game and try to help the team win.”
Now, Reider is 33 years old, most recently plugging away in his native Germany for Munich EHC to the tune of 16 goals last year.
Sail on, Tobias.
Zach Laing is Oilersnation’s managing editor and The Nation Network’s news director. He can be followed on X at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach.laing@bettercollective.com.
The Future is Daily Faceoff Edmonton
The future of hockey coverage is bigger than one team, one market, or one platform. By bringing our local hockey brands together under Daily Faceoff, we’re creating a more complete hockey experience — one that gives fans the best of local passion and league-wide expertise, all in one place. The community remains at the centre. The experience is simply expanding as part of the next evolution of how we cover the game.
Welcome to Daily Faceoff Edmonton — Driven by hockey.
Breaking News
- Oilers from the past: Has Tobias Rieder finally started scoring goals?
- Oilers announce theme night schedule for 2026-27 season
- What if the Oilers traded for Mikko Rantanen in 2025?
- Leon Draisaitl welcomes Mike Babcock’s accountability, but will it apply to every Oiler?
- Oilers’ Josh Samanski goes incognito at German festival to find romance
Edmonton OilersTeam Cap Summary
Cap Summary
2026-27
2027-28
Projected Cap Hit
$99,274,166
$87,350,000
Projected Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Current Cap Space
$4,725,834
$26,150,000
Active Players
23/23
15/23
Draft Picks
Round
'26
'27
1
0
0
2
1
1
3
1
0