The Edmonton Oilers were thrown a curveball this offseason when the St. Louis Blues tendered offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway and forced their hand into making some other moves. While the Oilers chose not to match the offers and allowed them both to join the Blues, they were able to bring in Vasily Podkolzin and Ty Emberson as replacements for the two youngsters and also freed themselves of Cody Ceci’s contract in a trade with the San Jose Sharks. In a recent report, it was revealed that Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl weren’t too happy when they heard about the offer sheets from the Blues.
Related: Oilers’ Draisaitl States Connor McDavid Will Do “What’s Best For Him” on Next Contract
While both McDavid and Draisaitl commented on the comments from Blues forward Robert Thomas, explaining they were more surprised than upset, it’s hard to imagine the two were happy about the situation. The Oilers have been very vocal about wanting to have as close to the same team as last season as possible as they attempt to make another Stanley Cup run, but this offseason has proven that won’t be possible.
The Oilers themselves made their own additions to strengthen their lineup this season with Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson among the free agent signings they made, as well as adding Travis Dermott on a professional tryout (PTO). Losing two players who were likely going to be massive parts of the Oilers’ future is a brutal loss, but they still have the team to push for their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history. It also made sense from the Oilers’ perspective to save money and not match the offer sheets which were both slight overpays, and have money heading into the 2025 Trade Deadline so they can bolster their lineup for a playoff push.
Holloway, Broberg Will Get Increased Role With Blues
While Broberg and Holloway played solid as depth pieces for the Oilers during the 2023-24 season, it didn’t look like they were going to get increased roles this season. With the Blues, Holloway could step into their top-six forward group with ease and finally find enough confidence to break out offensively. Broberg joins a team with a weak defensive lineup, and could easily be a top-pairing defender right out of training camp. While both players could play well enough to earn their contracts, they aren’t worth what the Blues are currently paying them.
The rough part for the duo is that they’re joining a team that is in the middle of retooling, and it’s unlikely they’ll even come close to making the playoffs this season. Whereas, the Oilers could dominate the Pacific Division and should easily make their way back to at least the Western Conference Final.
While Podkolzin and Emberson may not be perfect replacements for the Oilers, they are cheaper alternatives and could fill the roles left by Holloway and Broberg. Podkolzin wasn’t getting much of an opportunity with the Vancouver Canucks, so acquiring him for close to nothing was a smart move, especially if he can find his confidence and take over the third-line role.
Losing both Holloway and Broberg is a tough blow for the Oilers, but they still have the depth and power in every part of their lineup to win a Stanley Cup. Re-signing Draisaitl to a massive eight-year extension eases the worries heading into the new season so the fans and management don’t have something looming over their heads, and bringing back almost the entire team from last season but making some small changes was the right move. Holloway and Broberg might break out with the Blues in a big way this season, and I wish them nothing but the best, but I think letting them walk will turn out to be the right move.
