Confirmed with Link: Oilers Do Not Match Broberg ($4.58M X2) & Holloway ($2.29M x 2) Offer Sheets | Oilers acquire STL 3rd '28 & Paul Fischer for Futures

[CantHaveTkachev]

It's amazing how people don't remember what happened yesterday because something changed today.

I remember people going sideways just a few weeks ago that we didn't upgrade Top 4 RHD yet, and that was when Broberg was a forgone conclusion to return. I guess when another team pays him way more than he's worth that somehow changes?

This was a hole with Broberg on the team, and probably would have still been a hole if we matched, except in that circumstance it would have been effectively impossible to upgrade on him with the $4.5M anchor around our neck.

this team's defensive depth has been shred to pieces, and we weren't great defensive group to start with

Ekhlom-Bouchard...excellent top pair, but Ekholm isn't getting any younger
Nurse- dogshit last year, and needs a calm steady d-man to play with, which we don't have...have to hope and pray he rebounds to carry the 2nd pair (lol)
Kulak- good #5 but again, has peaked and is what he is...not a top 4
Emberson- I'm not convinced based on a 30 games sample size he's any good, or can play a regular shift on a good team...another "hope and pray" d-man
J. Brown- strictly a #7 too who PKs a bit
Stetcher- depth d-man brought here for league min...a #7 on good defensive teams...too small, doesn't provide much offense...I guess he's feisty

 

[Zguy370]

Lol getting mad at Broberg for signing with St Louis for triple. I love how people think they would have passed that up if they were given the same situation, delusional thinking from fans who only think of the team they are rooting for and not the life of the individual making the decision. And those who say others were taking less, show me someone who hasn’t made serious money in his career who was willing to take 1/3 of what they would have gotten elsewhere. This is lifelong altering money for Broberg and his family, there is no guarantee he would not have busted or gotten injured.

Yup, theses posters must be either clueless, or using reverse psychology that we lost him, now they can't wait to boo him on his first game back in town, laughable to see the least

 

[FlameChampion]

I wonder if either guy even wanted to be here?

Nope

 

[JeffSkinner53]

 

[guymez]

Broberg wasn’t predominately played on his offside in Bakersfield. He played some games on the left and some on the right like an absolute ton of left handed D have to in the AHL.
last year he spent 80% of his ice time on the left in the NHL (pretty common amount for most left handed D as shifts move around etc)
Year before that
79% of his time on the left.
This year? Team was entirely healthy and played limited minutes in the regular season. He spent 35% of his time with Kulak where they both played their off side, and then he spent 50% of his time with right handed partners.
The majority of his time was spent on his left side overall in the NHL but like most left handed D they all spend time on their right as there is simply not enough righties to go around.

I would like to see your sources on the minutes played left and right side in the AHl and the NHL.

Aside from that....the Oilers invested a top 10 draft pick on Broberg and your contention is that they handled him exactly how they should have handled him in the development phase?

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

I'm on the fence.

On one hand, even with that defense, the team has shown it can easily outscore its problems. I think this is okay because it gives them time to see what they have in Emberson and Stetcher. They will have to play them in the top 4 in some combination so we will all clearly get a chance to see what's there. Rotating cast in the 2/3 RD spots while you accrue capspace without Ceci. Go as big as you can at the deadline. Barring a complete collapse mentally from the team out of the gates like last year, I see no reason to believe they can't cruise through the regular season on that lineup.

On the other hand, last year happened and no amount "yeah but" ensures something else can't happen again.

I'm okay with things as they stand, and will absolutely be a deer in headlights if they sink out of the gates.

There's a point where you can't outscore your problems. It works against weaker teams for sure but the Panthers held us to 1 goal or less in 3 of their 4 wins.

My biggest worry is that someone in the top 4 gets dinged up for an extended period of time and we're forced to shuffle players into more pressure filled roles that they aren't ready for. The team on the back end was incredibly healthy from November onward, and there's a chance we don't get that again.

 

[nabob]

I'm super glad you're gleeful over today's events. I am not.

Maybe if you went back to CP your friends their could lift your spirits.

This was a no win situation for the Oilers so either way there’s negatives and less negatives (Not any positives really) you can focus on. None of them are in our control so ranting about them doesn’t help.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Bold move changing it to someone who’s probably also leaving next year lol.

Or someone who could be exhibit A for bad GA and not finding his own zone. Hopefully Jeff Skinner has grown up a bit into a more mature player.

 

[ujju2]

How many times did fans panic when a samarukov, bear or Caleb Jones was traded? Find that there is an element of fan base that way over rates prospects on this team.

Broberg at the end of the day was a prospect and was not worth this obscene offer. St Louis is who knows how many years away from being a playoff contender and with a ton of cap space can behave silly.

It would have been silly to pay Broberg such an outlandish price when he's still a prospect at best.

Funny that you mention Samorukov, because if we still had Kostin at around 1 million that would make me feel a bit better about essentially losing Holloway for nothing (somewhat similar profiles). But again I've been very high on Holloway since we first drafted him, still think he'll be a top-line winger soon enough.

 

[FlameChampion]

I feel like Broberg's english was better when he was drafted than it is now

I got pulju vibes but with less smiles and less pizza

 

[russ99]

Why would they trade Kulak though? Broberg hadn't shown that he was capable of taking over for Kulak. Bouchard showed that he was ready to take over for Barrie, and - here's the kicker - they traded Barrie for a major upgrade. What upgrades can you show me were 100% possible with Kulak as a central piece?

The fact is, that the Oilers are a contender, and contenders don't trade their guys who contribute when it matters to make room for someone who might be good. And what if they traded Kulak, and Broberg crashed and burned? He's not a sure thing, even today.

Kulak isn't a first team all NHL defenseman, he's a 30 year old third pair left side only guy with limitations and crashed when they tried him at 2nd pair. and he's getting paid $2.75M, who was in trade discussions last week.

If he's here after the deadline I'd be surprised.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Fair point.
Even though Keith wasnt the player he used to be having a solid vet presence to lean on is really important for a player.
Just imagine though if Bouchard had been expected to develop on his off side though.
Or they flip him back and forth depending on the teams needs.
Nurse should have been that steadting force for Broberg too especially seeing as Broberg has forced to play on his off side.
As we all know Nurse isnt a steadying force at all. he is way too erratic and IMO ends up teaching a young dman like Brobger all the wrong things.

IMO it just goes to show that drafting a player isnt enough....you have to have the team structured in a way that lends itself to properly developing the player.
Holland made some poor decisions while he was here and letting the RHD position deteriorate as badly as he did cost this team IMO.
You thrown in an obscene contract for an unreiliable dman like Nurse and it creates a major problem.

Right handed D never really play their off side because they are a rare handed player so teams almost never have too many of them. It’s not uncommon for a team to have 4-5 left handed D and only 1-2 righties.
Brobergs whole hockey career he had spent time playing on his off side, some defenders can do it like Broberg other guys just don’t have the ability to do so. Like look at TJ Brodie. Left shot d who sucks when he isn’t playing his right side.

 

[ujju2]

Not yet it's not.

Still have to get long term contracts done for 2, 29, and 97 but once that happens(and there is no reason to believe it won't) this team will always have a future. Fans on here are going to have to get used to a revolving door of players around them though.

The core is bigger than that. It will be a revolving door around 2, 29, 97, 93, and 18, at the very least (especially with 93's NMC). And good luck moving 25 lol.

 

[North]

His inability to grab a job and develop on his off wing (because the team had no RHD depth) is on the organization much more than its on Broberg.
He wont have that issue in St Louis.

He couldn’t grab a job at left d when it was available. They had no choice to get options and then played him on his off side since those openings were the only ones available.

Unfortunately for him his development coincided with our need to start challenging for a cup and we couldn’t coddle him.

 

[russ99]

There's a point where you can't outscore your problems. It works against weaker teams for sure but the Panthers held us to 1 goal or less in 3 of their 4 wins.

My biggest worry is that someone in the top 4 gets dinged up for an extended period of time and we're forced to shuffle players into more pressure filled roles that they aren't ready for. The team on the back end was incredibly healthy from November onward, and there's a chance we don't get that again.

Regular season outscoring isn't a path to postseason success. The Oilers changed their game to get to the Cup final and players leaned on at the back are gone.

 

[bellagiobob]

This was going to suck no matter which way the Oilers went. Losing two decent prospects for meh picks is never good, but I still think the option to match was the poorer of the two choices. Bigger picture is we have far more important players to sign for next year, and we need as much cap flexibility as possible, and while this is a bite losing these guys, it’s the most pragmatic approach given the circumstances. I’m sure team leaders were also consulted, and with an all in attitude of the players here, bringing back two guys who chased money over team doesn’t send a good message to guys who have bought in, or to the guys they are trying to sign. Now have cap flexibility and money to work with going into the season. It’s not a situation that anybody here wanted, and there are some serious questions on D, but they have options available to fix that during the season.

 

[Broberg Speed]

Maybe if you went back to CP your friends their could lift your spirits.

This was a no win situation for the Oilers so either way there’s negatives and less negatives (Not any positives really) you can focus on. None of them are in our control so ranting about them doesn’t help.

You're just repeating me now.

 

[Captain Fantastic]

Odd that there were no questions although if it's coming from YEG media, it'd be worthless anyway.

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

Regular season outscoring isn't a path to postseason success. The Oilers changed their game to get to the Cup final and players leaned on at the back are gone.

Right, we already know all too well that you need a good defense to win it all. Even a team like the Oilers can be offensively neutralized.

 

[jeffff]

Within the last week we:

-freed up 3 million in cap space (what we wanted to pay DH and Bro)
-Got a 2nd and 2 3rds
-Got rid of Ceci (which everyone wanted) and freed up 3.25 mil
-Acquired a young Dman with huge upside that thrived under our coach.
-Acquired a cheap 4th liner


I don't know about you guys, but I think we did ok.

No one wants to lose a finger but if the alternative is losing an arm...you pick the lesser of two evils. We aren't and can't pay DH and Bro 7 million for two years given our current cap...PERIOD.

 

[OilerTyler]

I wonder if either guy even wanted to be here?

Broberg has made it very clear that he doesn't want to play here having requested a trade last season and now signing an offer sheet that the Oilers could never match. Even if we matched I imagine he'd have one foot out the door.

 

[Seachd]

they are every bit as gullible and a bunch of fanboys to boot

And yet their opinions mean the world to you.

 

[Canovin]

Broberg is just reading off the scripts provided by his agent

 

[Broberg Speed]

And yet their opinions mean the world to you.

do they?

 

[CanadasTeam99]

He's found money for Blues fans and an improbable gift that fell from a perceived failed summer. He and Holloway are golden. Conversely being matched they would have been next on the bbq after the reality it was Oiler management group who failed to secure their cheap contract options.

I'm pissed and bitter too. Never liked the Blues and now there are two more reasons.

I have always hated STL. They signed Weight for 2x what we offered him and at the same time we were giving that welfare team money through the NHL for the lower money making teams.