Tom Gilbert Swapped for Nick Schultz

Edmonton's Tom Gilbert has been traded to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Nick Schultz.

Here is Tom's reaction when he found out that he was going home to Minnesota.


"It's a new experience for me it's just part of the business and you just gotta expect that...I can actually see my parents smiling right now.  I haven't even looked at phone at all or my texts...I am sure that they (his parents)  have tried calling and texting and they probably have a house for me already set up and a welcome home party...so its exciting to go back to home a team that I've been watching since I was young."

Tom Gilbert leaves the club having spent 6 years with the Oilers and amassed a grand total of 159 points in 384 games played.  

"He (Oilers GM Steve Tambellini) was the first guy to tell me about the trade and wished me the best of luck and said that I am a great guy and that it was pleasure to have this Edmonton Oilers team and all the luck in Minnesota." said Gilbert.


"Well you can see the direction this team is headed, especially with these young guys that are just coming in to this league and every game they are getting better and better you can see the talents and there is so much room for improvement and the sky is the limit with these younger players...so it's so unfortunate to leave a great group of guys that I have been a part of - this is the first team I have played for for 6 years and you grow accustomed to the people around you" said Gilbert.  "You wish the guys all the best you are leaving a great bunch of guys and you move on and you move on to a team that you play against all the time and you see the amount of skilled players that they have and where they are headed too, so it's exciting for me." he said.

In return, the Edmonton Oilers will welcome Nick Schultz who had this to say about his new address.


"It's good. It's tough right now...I don't know if it really sunk yet of what's going to happen but I think it's good, I mean obviously we all know that they are good young team...up and coming team with a lot of talent that's trying to build a winner there so you gotta go there and be  part of that try to fit in there... said Schultz. "It's going to be tough it's going to be an adjustment for myself and for my family but it's something that we are going to have to deal with." he admitted.


Schultz brings to Oilers a shut down style play plus veteran leadership. Schultz is 29 and is native of Strasbourgh Saskatchewan Canada.  The defenseman has played 743 games while earning 128 points.


The departure of Gilbert immediately brings to mind that the Oilers could be trying to free up some cap space to make room to re-sign Centre Sam Gagner.


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