Two weeks ago two things would have seemed inconceivable. First, that Philip Broberg would earned $4.6 million and Dylan Holloway $2.3 million this season. Second, that all the Edmonton Oilers would get in return for moving out Broberg and Holloway was a modest second and third round draft pick.
But both things have come to pass.
The move was telegraphed last night when the Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli, one of the NHL’s top insiders, said he wouldn’t be surprised if Holloway and Broberg became Blues. It was confirmed around 7 a.m. on Tuesday morning by TSN’s Ryan Rishaug: “Fully expect Broberg and Holloway to become St. Louis Blues today. Oilers will not be matching the offer sheets.”
Since July 1 the Oilers have now said good-bye to three of their top 7 d-men from the 2024 playffs, Vincent Desharnais, Cody Ceci and Philip Broberg.
They have lost three of their fastest, youngest and most skilled players in Ryan McLeod, Dylan Holloway and Broberg.
The St. Louis Blues put the Oilers between a proverbial rock and hard place on this one. Offer sheets are rare in the NHL but as former NHL GM Brian Lawton said this week on Oilers Now, “You can’t be surprised if it happens. As management of a team, you’re asked to look behind every tree for danger and to consider it.”
Oilers GM Ken Holland was advised to sign up Holloway and Broberg to deals last winter but did not get either done. Hockey boss Jeff Jackson spent well over the cap this summer, leaving Edmonton with little wiggle room.
The episode represents a major blow to the franchise and fail by Oilers management.
This past week Jackson and new GM Stan Bowman evidently scrambled to create cap space, but have come up short, possibly due to Evander Kane’s murky situation. Is Kane going on Long Term Injured Reserve or not?
The only silver lining? The Oilers have been pushing hard to get players to sign on to discount contracts so the group has a better shot of winning the Stanley Cup. Matching on either Broberg or Holloway would have thrown that out of whack and possibly made it more difficult for others to buy into the plan, a crucial calculation with the Leon Draisaitl, Evan Bouchard and Connor McDavid contract negotiations coming up.
As the reality of Broberg and Holloway’s departures settled in on Tuesday, here’s how the hockey world and Oil Country reacted:
St. Louis hockey commentator Andy Strickland
As of last night, sources indicated the Oilers would not match either offer to Broberg and Holloway. The idea of an offer sheet is to get the player, not to screw the opposing team. Looks like the St. Louis Blues are accomplishing what they intended. If so, St. Louis’s talent pool of players 25 and under is rich…Blues top 4 D-men now consist of Parayko, Broberg, Faulk, Leddy. Parayko and Leddy were a strong pair last season but the option is there to slide in Broberg next to Parayko.
Former NHLer Jordan Schmaltz
With the weekend acquisitions I do believe it gives the Oilers flexibility on roster moves. Ty Emberson played for Kris Knoblauch in Hartford (AHL) just two years and has progressed into what most think at very least a 3rd pairing defenseman. I don’t think he possesses the ceiling Broberg may have, whether Broberg gets there depends on a lot of factors but Emberson is a serviceable D-Man and quality young pro who is in a similar stage of his career as PB.
Upfront Vasili Podkolzin is in a very similar stage to Dylan Hollywood. Fringe NHLers on to this point. Former first round picks trying to find their way in the National League. Is it a gamble to roll the dice and not bring back both guys or 1 of 2 or even 2 of 2? Yeah but that’s sports and to this point you’re not losing sleep over either players.
TSN’s Rishaug
By matching the Oilers would have boxed themselves in with the salary cap quite badly. Letting them walk will hurt because they are good players, but this was a well calculated play by the Blues. Oilers decided to maintain flexibility and options rather than match. Some big contracts coming soon.
Ottawa Citizien hockey writer Bruce Garrioch
Two year offer sheet by Blues was brilliant. Year 2 makes 2025-26 for Edmonton nearly impossible to ice a competitive team with Bouchard and Draisaitl on new contracts. #NHL
Oilers fan TJ @PotratzHockey
So why the f*ck did we clear cap space??? This is an utter failure in so many ways
Oilers fan PDOKing @Kinger999
I think Phillip Broberg got the bag and signed the biggest contract of his life.
I think Dylan Holloway made slightly more money and cost himself the bag but also signed the biggest contract of his life.
Oilers are smart to walk on both if the reports are true.
Oilers fan Shannon Baerwald @ShannonBaerwald
From brilliant masterclass in July to utter incompetence in August. Bowman era is not impressing me at all. I hope they have a plan to flip the pick(s) for a 2 RHD because they just lost a top 4 dman for a second round pick 🤯 at least they acquired a 3rd pairing dman for Ceci 🤪
Oilers fan Karman Gill
This garbage D core will definitely get us the Cup
Oilers fan Avi Goldberg
Oilers management did not come off as being tough, unbothered, or even professional during the last 7 days by choosing to say not a single word to the fan base or to the hockey world about the offer sheets accepted by Broberg & Holloway.
TSN’s Ryan Rishaug @TSNRyanRishaug
Fully expect Broberg and Holloway to become St. Louis Blues today. Oilers will not be matching the offer sheets.
Strickland of St. Louis
The St. Louis Blues were one of three #NHL teams prepared to sign Philip Broberg to an offer sheet…Told the original offers from the Oilers to Phillip Broberg was a 2 year deal with an AAV of $1.1 million. The offer on the table from Edmonton to Dylan Holloway is believed to have been a 3 year deal at $1.050 million.
Sportsnet hockey columnist Mark Spector🇨🇦🇺🇦 @SportsnetSpec
So, cap space is king for Oilers?
If they let their youngest fwd and Dman walk as now expected, they’ll simply surround core with a liquid roster of short-term vets willing to chase Cups with 97 and 29.
Flexibility at deadline worth more than development.
Fascinating approach.
Hockey contracts website PuckPedia @PuckPedia
With Oilers not matching Broberg/Holloway, have $946K Projected Cap Space for 21 healthy + Kane. With no moves, this can fit $4.4M annual cap hit at deadline. Or, could submit roster including Savoie that’s $59K under cap, put Kane on LTIR, & be able to exceed cap by $5.066M while Kane is out. They would not accrue cap space though & when later exiting LTIR would start at 0 space accrued.
Sportsnet’s Spector
Lots of cap space in March – and to sign Draisaitl/Bouchard
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman
One thing I believe is key here: Edmonton wants flexibility to add in-season.
Edmonton Journal hockey writer Jim Matheson
With Oilers walking away from Broberg and Holloway for second and third round picks next June, the biggest question is defence partner for Nurse