The hockey world is focused on Edmonton and what’s going to occur between the Oilers and Connor McDavid; nonetheless, a number of components have introduced the 2 events up to now, with the largest one being the provide sheets to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg.
All of us keep in mind that on August thirteenth, 2024, the St. Louis Blues despatched two provide sheets, one to Holloway and one to Broberg. Each had been signed and accepted by the gamers. New Oilers Basic Supervisor Stan Bowman wanted to resolve inside seven days whether or not to match the provide sheets or obtain the correct compensation from the Blues and Basic Supervisor Doug Armstrong.
Can the Edmonton Oilers Survive Losing Both Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg?
We all know how the state of affairs performed out, and the Oilers did not match the offer sheets, dropping two key younger gamers who had been important items of their first journey to the Stanley Cup Last in 2024. Nevertheless, trying into even additional, Bowman was thrown right into a state of affairs that he ought to have by no means been in by the CEO of Hockey Operations, Jeff Jackson.
Jackson let former GM Ken Holland go earlier than the beginning of Free Company in 2024, and Jackson dealt with that free company interval, prioritizing signing veteran gamers over the younger guys within the system. This rubbed Dylan Holloway the fallacious manner as he informed Andy Strickland and Cam Janssen on the Cam and Strick Podcast earlier within the week.
“It rubbed me the fallacious manner how little Edmonton considered me in our contract negotiations. I’m an Alberta boy, I needed to return to a workforce we went to date with, however as quickly as Edmonton didn’t reciprocate that feeling, I used to be all in on St. Louis,” Holloway stated.
Not shocked to see these feedback from Holloway.
The group wanted to decide on him and Broberg lengthy earlier than these provide sheets got here. An excessive amount of up & down
And these guys wanted to be the first order of enterprise however once more not having a GM in place final July 1 has…
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) September 2, 2025
Edmonton Oilers Had a Top Four Defenseman in Philip Broberg
And Holloway has each proper to really feel this manner. Edmonton mishandled Broberg and Holloway all through their growth contained in the group. Whether or not it was Jackson himself, Holland, or members of the workers, there by no means gave the impression to be a perception in Holloway or Broberg or else these guys would have been given contracts on or earlier than July 1, 2024.
This began by not having a GM in place on July 1. Jeff Jackson mad the calls and as a substitute of caring for Broberg & Holloway the Oilers received slower.
I discussed this to @stevekouleas when he talked concerning the Oilers a number of in the past on @SiriusXMNHL. Wanted a GM in place.…
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) April 24, 2025
As NHLRumors.com documented final yr when these provide sheets occurred, the Oilers ought to have matched these contracts. Whereas Leon Draisaitl was a precedence and the cash may not have been there, Edmonton misplaced two key depth items on its roster that may have performed essential roles this season.
Keep in mind, over the course of final season, Broberg and Holloway had been ceaselessly known as up and down from the AHL, and there was by no means a transparent growth plan in place for both participant. Nothing was introduced to both participant. You noticed what each gamers did within the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, particularly Broberg, who stepped up within the Stanley Cup Last and performed strongly defensively.
That sturdy play carried over to the Blues this season. Holloway set profession highs with 63 factors (26 objectives and 37 assists) in 77 video games taking part in top-six minutes for the Blues underneath head coach Jim Montgomery. In the meantime, Broberg, earlier than his harm, was proving why the Oilers wanted to maintain him the way in which he slotted into the Blues’ high 4 so seamlessly. Broberg completed the season averaging round 16 minutes of ice time, recording profession highs with 29 factors (eight objectives and 21 assists) in 68 video games.
What the Edmonton Oilers Offered Philip Broberg and Their Need for Better Development Paths
Once more, Jeff Jackson put present Oilers GM Stan Bowman in a troublesome spot for not having a GM in place on July 1st, 2024. Nonetheless, the mishandling of those gamers by Edmonton left a foul style of their mouths as they regarded for the alternatives they felt they deserved elsewhere.
Simply think about if Broberg and Holloway had been nonetheless on the workforce; possibly this Connor McDavid extension wouldn’t be taking as lengthy, as a result of he is aware of what this workforce is able to down the street.
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