As rare as offer sheets are in the NHL, many thought the Edmonton Oilers may run into trouble with just that this offseason. They sit approximately $340,000 over the league’s maximum salary cap, and had two young, talented players in Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway who remain restricted free agents (RFAs.)
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Earlier today, the St. Louis Blues made a move that shocked the hockey world, signing not one, but both players to offer sheets. It’s a wise move for the Blues, as both Broberg and Holloway are first-round picks who appear to be well on their way to becoming impactful NHLers. One team that missed the boat on this, however, was the Calgary Flames.
Oilers Unlikely to Match Both Deals
The general public consensus is that the Oilers will not be able to match both deals. Broberg agreed to a two-year deal with an annual cap hit of roughly $4.6 million, while Holloway also signed a two-year deal with an annual cap hit just under $2.3 million.
Given that the Oilers would have already required some roster shuffling to sign both, it seems very unlikely they will be able to sign both to the tune of $6.87 million total annually. At the very least, it seems as though the Blues will end up with one promising young talent.
Flames Had Ample Cap Space to Pull This Off
With the Flames being in the early stages of a rebuild, they removed plenty of salary through trades last season. As a result, they have nearly $22 million in cap space, the most of all 32 NHL teams. It isn’t as if they have any big deals coming up in the future, either, with Yegor Sharangovich being signed to a five-year extension earlier this offseason.
While the Flames have done a solid job at putting together a decent pool of young talent, adding one of, if not both, Broberg and Holloway would have dramatically brightened what already looks to be a bright future. Perhaps it was simply not wanting to anger a team as offer sheets are known to do, but given the fierce rivalry between the two teams, this feels like a missed opportunity by general manager (GM) Craig Conroy.
Broberg is a defenceman many believe has top-pairing potential. It took the 23-year-old, who was selected eighth overall in 2019, longer than expected to develop, but he impressed greatly in the Oilers’ playoff run. At the very least, he looks like he will very soon become a top-four defenceman.
Holloway also had a very impressive playoff run for the Oilers, and looks like, at the very least, he will be an impactful top-nine NHL forward for years to come. He doesn’t shy away from physicality and has solid offensive instincts, but his best asset is his skating, which is becoming more and more important in the NHL which seems to speed up in play every season.
Flames Should Consider This Route Moving Forward
While the option of signing Broberg or Holloway to an offer sheet is now out the door, this is an avenue that Conroy, and quite frankly, many other GMs should consider travelling more often in the future. It’s perfectly fine to do in the eyes of the NHL, and the compensation often ends up being well worth the signing.
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With so many teams in the NHL struggling to stay cap compliant, RFAs often take a long time to receive new contracts, and are also forced to sign for less than they feel they are worth. They are generally all willing to sign with another team for what they feel is a more appropriate contract, and often times are players with high potential. Going this route is particularly wise for teams in a rebuilding state like the Flames, as it can help accelerate the process of turning into a winning organization.
