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Brett Kulak shares message to Oilers after facing his former team


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Liam McCormick
January 23, 2026  (6:57 PM)
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Brett Kulak
Photo credit: Imagn Images

The Edmonton Oilers faced off against the Pittsburgh Penguins last night, where both Skinner and Kulak showed great appreciation for their time in Edmonton.

Most of the headlines have been geared to the oft-criticized former goalie Stuart Skinner, who spoke honestly about fans' treatment of him in Edmonton as well. However, Kulak was also a hometown player who battled for the Oilers for more than 4 seasons - and he deserves some attention too.

Brett Kulak thanks Oilers organization for tribute and his time in Edmonton

The Edmonton Oilers gave both players a shared tribute video, and allowed a moment for Skinner and Kulak to stand up and salute the crowd. It was clear that they had a deep appreciation for their fans of Oil Country, and the team for making the tribute.
Kulak spoke to media after the game, and mentioned how meaningful it was to have that moment to say 'thank you' to the fans.
Yeah, we really appreciated that. It was nice. They're an awesome organization, tons of memories, and it was pretty cool the media team captured those. It was pretty emotional, I'll definitely miss this place.

It says a lot about the team and the organization.

- Brett Kulak
Now 32 years old, the Oilers acquired the Stony Plain native Kulak back in 2022 from the Montreal Canadiens. Edmonton gave up William Lagesson and the draft pick used to select Lane Hutson, and while that was a steep cost, Kulak gave his all to the Oilers and always over performed his expectations.
Especially in the last two playoff runs, Kulak was one player who always elevated his game and was even rewarded with top 4 minutes. A keen defensive presence who could also skate well and move the puck, he's about as reliable of a bottom-pair defender there can be in the NHL.
Now in Pittsburgh, that's been recognized as he's been promoted to play first pair minutes.
It was nice the Oilers gave that moment to two players who battled hard for years on their hometown team, and for the fans to give them one final salute for their time here.
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Brett Kulak shares message to Oilers after facing his former team

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