The Edmonton Oilers have been dealing with a lot over the past week. After the St. Louis Blues decided to tender offer sheets to forward Dylan Holloway and defenceman Philip Broberg, they had seven days to decide whether to match the offers or let them walk. Holloway was offered a two-year deal at $2.2 million annually while Broberg was offered a two-year deal at $4.5 million per season. On Tuesday morning, the Oilers announced their decision not to match either contract and allowed both players to join the Blues. To some fans’ dismay, the Oilers seemingly found both of their replacements in separate trades with the San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks.
Related: Ty Emberson: Everything to Know About Oilers’ New Acquisition
First, the Oilers acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Canucks in exchange for a fourth-round pick, which was seemingly the replacement for Holloway. In the second deal, the Oilers traded Cody Ceci and a third-round pick to the Sharks in exchange for Ty Emberson, who seemed to be the Broberg replacement. While the Podkolzin deal was solid as the Oilers didn’t have to give up much for a player with a lot of potential, the Emberson deal is one that fans should take notice of as a potential steal. While concerns grew about the overall depth of the defensive group, Emberson is an upgrade for the top four and has made the defensive lineup stronger heading into the 2024-25 campaign.
While Ceci added a strong veteran presence off the ice, it often didn’t translate to solid play on the ice. His lack of defensive strength made it tough for the coaching staff to trust him in clutch scenarios and stressful situations, but he was kept around as someone who could help boost morale. Trading him to the Sharks gives him a much-needed fresh start on a rebuilding team and if he bounces back, he could get flipped at the 2025 Trade Deadline to a contender and have another shot at winning a Stanley Cup in a depth role.
Emberson is the polar opposite of Ceci, and it showed during a tough season with the Sharks. On the last-place team in the NHL, he showed through as a solid stay-at-home defender who could play a good amount of minutes on a nightly basis. His shot-blocking ability, IQ on the breakout, and ability to win puck battles in the defensive zone make him an enticing addition to the Oilers’ blue line, and he should be the perfect partner for Darnell Nurse.
The only downside of Emberson is his lack of offensive production. However, the Oilers have been looking to acquire a defender who specializes in defensive play and is a trustworthy player on the penalty kill and in late-game scenarios to keep the puck out of the net, and Emberson fits the bill. It’s tough to bank on Emberson being a stud as soon as the season gets going, but all signs point to him being a diamond in the rough that the Oilers took full advantage of at a low price.
Losing Ceci & Broberg Means Open Spot at Training Camp
While Emberson, Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, Nurse, and Brett Kulak have their spots on the opening night roster guaranteed, there is an open spot up for grabs at training camp. The losses of Ceci and Broberg mean that there is a hole, and whoever has the best camp could start the season in the NHL. Josh Brown, Beau Akey, Troy Stecher, Max Wanner, Phil Kemp, and Ben Gleason all have a chance to crack the opening-night lineup and solidify themselves as a bottom-pairing defender. While it’s safe to assume one of Brown or Stecher will win the final roster spot, there is no guarantee.
Even if the Oilers don’t notice it themselves, the Blues’ offer sheets to Holloway and Broberg made the team better, as it forced them into trading Ceci which improves their roster in itself, but getting Emberson in return was a pleasant surprise that improves the team. At the end of the day, they have set themselves up nicely to run it back for the new campaign, and fans should be confident in their chances to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990.
