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Oilers cut Reinhart from camp, making trade with Isles look even worse

Vancouver Canucks v Edmonton Oilers

EDMONTON, AB - MARCH 18: Griffin Reinhart #8 of the Edmonton Oilers skates against the Vancouver Canucks on March 18, 2016 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)

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Tough day for Griffin Reinhart, but perhaps an even tougher day for Edmonton.

On Friday, the Oilers announced they’ve sent former No. 4 overall pick to AHL Bakersfield -- despite the fact Edmonton still has 29 players left at camp, nine of them d-men, and one exhibition game remaining.

Translation: Reinhart wasn’t even one of the last guys cut.

Reinhart, 22, was acquired from the Isles at the 2015 draft and only appeared in 29 games for Edmonton last year, scoring just one point. There was hope his second season with the Oilers would be a step forward but, through the preseason, he struggled to show any signs of improved form.

“The coaching staff was dumb enough to start him on the right side in his first game and not give him any type of confidence,” head coach Todd McLellan said following an exhibition loss to Vancouver, per CHED 630 radio. “We’re going to put him on the left side and let him play.

“Obviously, his performance the other night wasn’t what he hoped it would be.”

As mentioned in the headline, the Reinhart trade is shaping up to be a complete bust for the Oilers. They gave the Islanders the 16th and 33rd picks at the draft, and the Isles used those picks to select Mathew Barzal and Anthony Beauvillier (moving up from 33 to 28 to snag the latter).

As Brough wrote yesterday, both Barzal and Beauvillier are still in Islanders camp, and have a realistic shot of making the team when the season opens next week.