Confirmed with Link: Blues sign 2 Oilers to offer sheets!

[BleedBlue14]

You can’t imagine keeping Broberg and probably Holloway around at that contract is worth having 0 flexibility this season and being strapped while needing to sign Bouchard and Draisaitl next offseason.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

You can’t imagine keeping Broberg and probably Holloway around at that contract is worth having 0 flexibility this season and being strapped while needing to sign Bouchard and Draisaitl next offseason.

If they match that's something they need to figure out.

 

[BrokenFace]

Do we know the exact deadline for the Oilers to match? It's probably been stated in this thread but I didn't see it. Is it tomorrow around 8:30?

 

[bleedblue1223]

Do we know the exact deadline for the Oilers to match? It's probably been stated in this thread but I didn't see it. Is it tomorrow around 8:30?

Yeah. Can't remember the exact time and time zone, but tomorrow morning. I expect Edmonton to have some sort of press conference today though.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

If there is only one thing to be learned from this situation, it is that the Edmonton Oilers fanbase is one of the dumbest I've yet to encounter.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

I’m genuinely surprised that all it cost was a third to move Ceci. Don’t really understand why San Jose would do Edmonton such a huge favor.

Because Grier is a smart man. He just pocketed a huge favor from EDM.

 

[SirPaste]

Because Grier is a smart man. He just pocketed a huge favor from EDM.

He will also likely be adding another pick when they flip him at the deadline

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Because Grier is a smart man. He just pocketed a huge favor from EDM.

That’s certainly a possibility. I would be very hesitant to rely on a favor. But that could also just be the cynicism in me.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

He will also likely be adding another pick when they flip him at the deadline

And this. There is a lot of talk on the main thread that Grier is a muppet etc etc. Funny. That's Gordon Ramsay talk. Next thing you know, they'll call Grier a donut.

 

[ort]

I haven't really been able to keep up with all the details or drama of this... but is there any concern that pulling shenanigans like this makes other GMs less likely to want to deal with your organization? I know all of this is within the rules, but it's still a pretty dick move.

 

[ChicagoBlues]

That’s certainly a possibility. I would be very hesitant to rely on a favor. But that could also just be the cynicism in me.

Yes, it could be this or it could be that. It could be anything, for that matter. But what do you really think?

 

[mk80]

I haven't really been able to keep up with all the details or drama of this... but is there any concern that pulling shenanigans like this makes other GMs less likely to want to deal with your organization? I know all of this is within the rules, but it's still a pretty dick move.

I wouldn’t have that concern. Although I don’t expect any trades with the Oilers for awhile

 

[Snubbed4Vezina]

I haven't really been able to keep up with all the details or drama of this... but is there any concern that pulling shenanigans like this makes other GMs less likely to want to deal with your organization? I know all of this is within the rules, but it's still a pretty dick move.

I'm not worried. It's not like previous offer sheets have blackballed any other teams.

It's a Blues/Oilers issue and given the structure of those teams we won't have to worry about retaliation from the Oilers for a long while. Besides, Army has always done a solid job of locking up his RFAs.

 

[Vladys Gumption]

Yes, it could be this or it could be that. It could be anything, for that matter. But what do you really think?

I suspect we’ll never get a firm answer on this. Very curious to see what San Jose can get out of Ceci at the deadline. I’ve never thought much of him as a player, but if they get a 2nd at the deadline it certainly looks much better for San Jose.

Just kind of sucks to see Edmonton seemingly being able to wriggle out of cap hell for this year.

 

[mk80]

You can’t imagine keeping Broberg and probably Holloway around at that contract is worth having 0 flexibility this season and being strapped while needing to sign Bouchard and Draisaitl next offseason.

Watch Army offer sheet Bouchard as the Oilers try to figure out their cap next summer

 

[stl76]

Random thought: wonder if we see Ceci traded back to Edmonton at the TDL…

 

[BleedBlue14]

Watch Army offer sheet Bouchard as the Oilers try to figure out their cap next summer

I would rather us just pivot to Harley this offseason if they do match Broberg, but I think that's pretty unlikely.

 

[Brian39]

Kane isn't exactly a big contributor these days.

His 21 even strength goals were 3rd on the Oilers last year. 3 behind McDavid and 1 more than Drai. Injuries caused him to be permanently replaced on the top PP unit, which is so damn good that the 2nd unit barely gets any time out there. That greatly diminishes his point production, but he is still very much a contributor to them. He slightly outscored Jeff Skinner at even strength last year (goals and points).

Not irreplaceable and he very well could be the cap casualty. But he absolutely contributed to the secondary scoring last year. Losing Kane (either full the whole year or permanently as a cap casualty) absolutely does weaken the scoring depth that they were trying to improve over the summer.

 

[Thallis]

His 21 even strength goals were 3rd on the Oilers last year. 3 behind McDavid and 1 more than Drai. Injuries caused him to be permanently replaced on the top PP unit, which is so damn good that the 2nd unit barely gets any time out there. That greatly diminishes his point production, but he is still very much a contributor to them. He slightly outscored Jeff Skinner at even strength last year (goals and points).

Not irreplaceable and he very well could be the cap casualty. But he absolutely contributed to the secondary scoring last year. Losing Kane (either full the whole year or permanently as a cap casualty) absolutely does weaken the scoring depth that they were trying to improve over the summer.

The problem is by the time the playoffs rolled around, he was slow and ineffective, scoring 4 goals in 20 games (playing a regular shift with Draisitl, no less). You need more production from someone at that cap hit with their salary structure and Kane isn't a big bet to give it at 33 having played a bruising style his whole career. I take Skinner over him 10/10 times at this point.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

The cynic in me wonders if Kane’s surgery and recovery timing works out perfectly for him to come back in time for the postseason.

I think Edmonton would prefer to match both for the principle of the thing. Discourage offer sheets because the precedent for them to stick doesn’t make it works the trouble.

If that’s what happens, no big deal. It’s Edmonton’s problem not the Blues. Feel bad for Broberg a little bit, but at least he got a better salary and probably more ice time opportunity based on that commitment.

 

[Brian39]

I don't think Ceci is good, but it is crazy how much the online hockey fan community hates the guy. He makes $3.25M per season with 1 year left on his deal and people act like he is an immovable albatross who actively tries to score on his own team.

The guy hasn't been a minus player over the course of a season since 2019 (he's been +7 or better each of those seasons). His Corsi and fenwick have been 49% or better at 5 on 5 for each of the last 5 seasons. He kills penalties and plays 2nd pair minutes. Now, there is a great argument that he looks terrible doing it and shouldn't be playing 2nd pair minutes, but the guy is absolutely an above replacement-level NHL D man and a competent bottom pair D man.

In a perfect world, you don't want to be paying a bottom pair guy $3.25M. But there are now 120 D men in the NHL making $3.25M or more. $3.25M has become low end #4, high end #5 money. He's overpaid by less than a million bucks.

San Jose made their blueline better by acquiring Ceci. He is going to be playing more minutes for them than he is capable of playing well, but he is better than whoever would have been playing those minutes prior to his arrival.

A 3rd feels about right to move Ceci as we've exited the flat cap era.

 

[bleedblue1223]

They locked the thread on the main boards...

 

[bleedblue1223]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1825557657476067670

 

[ChicagoBlues]

They locked the thread on the main boards...

And you got the last laugh.

 

[Brian39]

The problem is by the time the playoffs rolled around, he was slow and ineffective, scoring 4 goals in 20 games. You need more production from someone at that cap hit with their salary structure and Kane isn't a big bet to give it at 33 having played a bruising style his whole career. I take Skinner over him 10/10 times at this point.

I mean, yeah. He was playing with a sports hernia which caused him to miss 5 playoff games. Those do tend to slow you down. But my overall point is that Edmonton needs to add scoring depth, not simply replace the depth they had last year. Scoring at even strength was a massive problem for the Oilers.

Do you know how many Oilers forwards scored 5 or more even strength goals in the playoffs? Two. Hyman and McDavid. Drai had 4 even strength goals in the playoffs. Same number as Kane, but with 5 more games played.

I'm not saying that Kane is for sure worth his cap hit. He could bounce back after a surgery or he could be washed. But even in his reduced capacity last year, he was still one of their better forwards. Losing Kane as the salary dump to make these contracts work certainly still causes the middle 6 to take a hit.