The Edmonton Oilers made headlines in the hockey world on Monday by placing centre Ryan Spooner on waivers, along with right winger Ty Rattie.

By waiving Spooner, the Oilers essentially turned the asset of Jordan Eberle into nothing just 19 months (June 22, 2017) after he was sent to the Islanders in exchange for Ryan Strome. Fast forward to November 16th, 2018, and the middle member of the Strome family was sent back to New York, but this time joining the blueshirts for Ryan Spooner.

Four days later, the Oilers brought in Ken Hitchcock to replace Todd McLellan in hopes of tightening up the Oilers defensive structure.

Spooner isn't known for his defensive acumen and produced only two goals and one assist in 23 games with the Oilers, and eventually found himself in Hitch's doghouse by having his minutes cut back and getting scratched after failing to produce on the score sheet.

While it's a tough look on the Oilers to have nothing leftover from trading Eberle and Strome, waiving Spooner put an end to the trade tree of Mark Messier, who was dealt to the New York Rangers on October 4th, 1991 for Louie DeBrust, Bernie Nicholls and Steven Rice.

Courtesy of TSN 1260 producer Tyler Yaremchuk, the Oilers no longer have nothing left out of the deal dating back 27 years.

Now, there is a caveat to this: the 2nd round pick (Travis Hamonic) acquired in the Chris Pronger deal was flipped to the Islanders for Allan Rourke and a third-round pick. That particular pick was sent to Anaheim in the Dustin Penner offer sheet.

Penner was flipped to the Kings for a second rounder (Oscar Klefbom) and Colten Teubert, so you could make the case it's still alive, although Penner wasn't technically acquired through a trade, further convoluting things, but the offer sheet doesn't happen without that third-rounder.

One thing is clear, though: the Oilers are still in tough to replace the secondary scoring they lost in flipping Eberle, and continue to tinker with their lines in hopes of finding point producers not named Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

After potting 59 points in his first season on Long Island, Eberle has amassed 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 44 games and is a free agent at the season's end.

(h/t Tyler Yaremchuk and Zach Bear)