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

[Soundwave]

Podkolzin isn't even an NHL player now. Last seen he's been a bust for the last two years. He isn't even prominent in AHL. Unless he has a complete turn around he doesn't even make the club.

Arvidsson is injured goods. Can barely play much now. Missed almost all of last season and was still getting hurt and having recurring problems.

We're not getting prime Arvie or anything close to that. We're getting the current version. You never mentioned that Kane who has been prominent here for years is now probably done or close to it. That makes it a saw off with now having either Skinner or Arvie. Frankly Kane was a better player than either.

Fact of the matter is we've lost several forwards from last cup run and we've gained around 2 and then others were hoping for, or are prospects. Not immediate help now.

its kinda funny that now people are just loving the idea of Jeff Skinner being a savior He was common fodder here and around the league as one of the worst defensive forwards going and has had some complete head case seasons with clusterf*** GA. He's had some good seasons too but you never know with him which one you're getting. This being the case in Carolina and Buffalo.

Guy can score but I'm not a huge fan of his 200ft game. 22-23 was the only season among the last several where he actually helped to make a team better and actually bought in. usually he doesn't. The Normal Jeff Skinner mode is flirt with 20- 30 goals while being careful not to do anything else.

Skinner was so bad defensively last season he was off the chart.

View attachment 902517

Strange as it is Foegele had more EV goals last season than Skinner did. Skinner who was getting a lot of topsix. Plus consider Skinner was getting paid 9M to be that kind of terrible last season.

Arvidsson was 0.83 ppg last year, which is actually the highest PPG of his career and now he'll be playing with the best player he's ever played with (Draisaitl).

If Skinner sucks likely he'll be amenable to moving on at the trade deadline as a filler piece.

The over reliance on guys like Foegele and McLeod and Holloway and waxing nostalgic on them is fine and dandy, but there's another reality to that too ... not having players who can just put the goddamn puck in the net when McDavid or Draisaitl do 90% of the work probably also cost the Oilers a Stanley Cup.

Those guys needed to finish more of their chances, we left too much on the table, Florida should not have won that game 1 for example.

We've been trying to win a Cup basically with two top 6 scoring wingers basically (Hyman and RNH and RNH often goes invisible 5 on 5) the last two years. Kane's finish has gone kaput outside of games against LA in round 1 due to injuries.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

Wish that Holloway was wired like Brady. Loved the competitive aspect of coming in as the #7 QB, and having the confidence in his abilities and the work ethic and drive to show that he belonged with the best. Quickly learned that taking a bit less money in order to help the team win was what it was all about for him.

Guys like Brady and Jordan are just built different, winning is everything to them. They had different approaches but the mentality was the same, the money is nice but they’d play for free just to compete and win.

I don’t like how the situation turned out but in a way I think it helps them foster a culture of wanting guys who are willing to put the team first, to sacrifice to win. Some times what’s best for the player and what’s best for the team don’t always line up perfectly, and it’s unfortunate when players can’t understand that. Oilers were rounding into a championship caliber team and have worked hard to build their depth, they aren’t going to move guys to fit a rookie in unless that rookie really outperforms someone or they’re absolutely sure he can. Broberg is particularly disappointing, he wants to get paid for the 10 games he looked pretty good playing a position but he doesn’t wanna play that position. This team is trying to win a Stanley Cup and this kid says pay me like a top 4 and then rework your blue line around me and likely break up one of the best pairings in the league because I don’t want to play the right side. Ok… there’s the door.

 

[The Panther]

Thing is by not matching we have more cap flexibility at the deadline. There’s more flexibility at the deadline because teams are willing to retain on expiring deals. Our forwards are stacked and the oilers focus this deadline will 100% be on landing a top 4 right D.

By not matching we gained more assets to use to get that player and more flexibility to do it.

We also have some NHL level right D options. Emberson is only a year older than broberg and has had a strong start to his career. Biggest concern is lots of injuries already but if he can stay healthy he may be a better player than Broberg or Ceci. He is strong defensively and Knobloch knows him well. Stecher is also a fully capable 5-6 D man. Brown is also a capable guy who can step in for stretches.

Our D is still fine and if we can add a top4 guy it could look a lot better than last year.

I'm not as optimistic as you are, but I like your positivity!

 

[Drivesaitl]

Arvidsson was 0.83 ppg last year, which is actually the highest PPG of his career and now he'll be playing with the best player he's ever played with (Draisaitl).

If Skinner sucks likely he'll be amenable to moving on at the trade deadline as a filler piece.

The over reliance on guys like Foegele and McLeod and Holloway and waxing nostalgic on them is fine and dandy, but there's another reality to that too ... not having players who can just put the goddamn puck in the net when McDavid or Draisaitl do 90% of the work probably also cost the Oilers a Stanley Cup.

Those guys needed to finish more of their chances, we left too much on the table, Florida should not have won that game 1 for example.

Arvie played only 17 games. the PPG is short sample and meaningless. He was even hurt in two of those games. He didn't score in playoffs and was awful in game 1. The worst player on the ice. I'm a fan of him saying that. I think he's past prime and not close to 100%. Really one more back injury and it could be over.

5 yrs ago Arvie would've been great to have here. But several injuries later and recurring back problems and I wonder.

I also tend to think LA knows more about his current health and condition than we do.

 

[Soundwave]

Arvie played only 17 games. the PPG is short sample and meaningless. He was even hurt in two of those games. He didn't score in playoffs and was awful in game 1. The worst player on the ice. I'm a fan of him saying that. I think he's done.

5 yrs ago Arvie would've been great to have here. But several injuries later and recurring back problems and I wonder.

It's 18 games and he was coming off major surgery, but still that's an impressive enough scoring rate.

We need scorers, trying to win a Cup with basically 1 reliable scoring winger at even strength (Hyman) most likely was not going to get it done. It's a near miracle it almost worked last season, but the flipside to that is we probably threw away a Cup by not addressing this problem last year (thanks Holland).

 

[Spawn]

The Oilers are missing Broberg, Holloway, McLeod, Foegele, Desharnais, Ceci, Gagner, fwiw. We'll also be missing Kane this season from all reports.

Are people really expecting Hyman to repeat a legend 55 goal season. Teams were adjusting and the scoring in bunches wasn't coming as much. Seems like every year we expect all our guns to have legend seasons even while we've depleted bottomsix drastically.

You know as well another calendar year flipped on a team that for starting players is very old.

Interesting to note that save Ceci and Holloway every one of the players you listed as gone was a healthy scratch at some point during the playoffs (or all of the playoffs for Gagner).

 

[MessierII]

I'm not as optimistic as you are, but I like your positivity!

I think the offer sheet situation obviously sucks and will suck in the long term but in the short term I really don’t think it changes much. We have the same strengths and needs as two weeks ago.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Well he suggested Knoblauch at a time when the org was looking for candidates. A discussion with Holland was still had, sounded like they made the decision together. And knowing Holland he’d take the easy move and take the recommendation rather than put in any of his own leg work.

Stauffer may have some bias. But I’ve heard him tear Kenny down even when Kenny was around. It’s not all PR, he lets a lot of his personal feelings slip out in his rants. And he really is one of the few sources we have for inside information. We are left to speculate much of it cause we aren’t in the room. Stauffer is actually in the room though or close to it.

I think if he was pure PR he’d tried to spin anything negative about the Oilers. But he doesn’t. There’s some honesty in his opinions IMO.

By the time Brobergs trade request came in, much of the damage was already done. Holland and maybe JJ did “handle it” as best they could though. They had a convo with him, and explained to him and his agent that AHL time would be best instead of sitting in the press box. Broberg went down like a good soldier and did the right thing for himself and the organization by upping his value with great AHL play. You could argue JJ did as much he could in that situation, assuming he was involved.

Clear that Jackson hired Knoblauch and did so based on his direct experience with the coach and his professional network. He was actively involved with Holland in a transition plan that included significant operational decisions. Driving the bus.

Ya Holland was a slacker. So funny when people, Stauffer included, whined about Holland not doing anything for trade deadline ... then Ekholm trade lands. Hockey ops wisely has a firewall around this guy. He went on a tangent about comparing Hall of Famer Nurse to Larry Robinson and boldly prognosticted Ralph Krueger as a future NHL coach of the year.

It was Jackson's solo show to start the new era and was fully briefed on the Broberg file having been through the full season challenges. That included the trade deadline with alleged active discussions with the Blues GM involving an ask of Broberg and Holloway for Bushnevich. They tried to slow cook the RFA's and it burned them. A different, pro-active approach might have mitigated that loss of control on a valuable team asset with issues on his usage and handling by the team. Jackson's an expert in this area as a super agent. Unfortunately signs were missed and the talent and important cheap value deals blew out the door.

 

[Arpeggio]

Interesting to note that save Ceci and Holloway every one of the players you listed as gone was a healthy scratch at some point during the playoffs (or all of the playoffs for Gagner).

Hyman also never stopped scoring, he scored the most goals in March out of any month. And obviously scored a ton of goals in the playoffs.

Skinner and Arvidsson are just clearly significant upgrades at forward over Foegele and McLeod, and we're getting a full year of another 20 goal scorer in Henrique.

Holloway was great in the playoffs, but he was bad in the regular season. For strictly next season, I'd much rather have a healthy Kane in the lineup over Holloway.

 

[Soundwave]

Hyman also never stopped scoring, he scored the most goals in March out of any month. And obviously scored a ton of goals in the playoffs.

Skinner and Arvidsson are just clearly significant upgrades at forward over Foegele and McLeod, and we're getting a full year of another 20 goal scorer in Henrique.

Holloway was great in the playoffs, but he was bad in the regular season. For strictly next season, I'd much rather have a healthy Kane in the lineup over Holloway.

McDavid was massively limited last year too, 64 goals the year prior down to 32 goals due to being injured from game 5 onwards. That's a massive decrease. That was the lowest goal scoring rate of his career past his rookie season.

 

[Ninety7]

Guys like Brady and Jordan are just built different, winning is everything to them. They had different approaches but the mentality was the same, the money is nice but they’d play for free just to compete and win.

I don’t like how the situation turned out but in a way I think it helps them foster a culture of wanting guys who are willing to put the team first, to sacrifice to win. Some times what’s best for the player and what’s best for the team don’t always line up perfectly, and it’s unfortunate when players can’t understand that. Oilers were rounding into a championship caliber team and have worked hard to build their depth, they aren’t going to move guys to fit a rookie in unless that rookie really outperforms someone or they’re absolutely sure he can. Broberg is particularly disappointing, he wants to get paid for the 10 games he looked pretty good playing a position but he doesn’t wanna play that position. This team is trying to win a Stanley Cup and this kid says pay me like a top 4 and then rework your blue line around me and likely break up one of the best pairings in the league because I don’t want to play the right side. Ok… there’s the door.

Did I miss something? Or is this just emotional slander?

When did broberg say all that?

He was offered, maybe gifted even is a better word, like 3x more than what he was offered by us. Of course he’s going to take it. I don’t think he demanded to be paid that much.

He seemed disgruntled about the way we handled him but I think you are over exaggerating reality a little bit.

I also do not want him to win anything btw. Same with Holloway.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

One of the biggest issues for the player though, has been his issues with injury. More than anything else, IMO, that played a major part in stunting his growth and acceleration through the system. Every time it seemed he was getting traction, he got injured, and it was never one or 2 games. Tough for management to make proper assessments and push for more from the player when that keeps occurring.

Lots of FUBAR all around with this player with his development and situations including injuries. Broberg own his share of poor development. He was given the choice of major junior under Staios in Hamilton or return to pro in Sweden. Choosing pro route he landed on a team focused on winning, not developing a teenager depth player. As games got more important Broberg's ice-time reduced. So while his quality of competition was high, his ice-time was often more limited as the games got important including playoffs. Junior in Hamilton competition would have been lesser but massive minutes under Staios' watchful eye and an early transition to North American hockey, smaller rinks and more physical style of play.

He did have a number of injuries including world juniors and at crucial development periods. Including weird ones like the kitchen knife issue. Agree, the injuries both stalled some development but also team assessment. Beyond the bubble year camp where all reports were
glowing of his skating, work and showing in practices, his NHL camps were generally underwhelming with a passive, risk adverse game that didn't feature the athleticism, skating and puck transportation game that got him drafted. The passivity left coaches wanting more and requiring farm time for the player. Ekholm at one point spoke about Broberg's skills and potential but need to just throw caution to the win and go for it. Drawing on his own experience as a young Swedish d-man adapting to North American play. So Broberg owns his share of the slow development whether choices, circumstances, or injury.

I generally hold a player at about 80% accountable for their development. It's largely about the innate desire, grit and determination required beyond raw skill to elevate to apex level of play. That said, the Oilers blew alot of their development with this player. Some circumstantial in trying to build up a weak defense corp and move into a playoff team making necessary trades for Keith, Kulak and Ekholm that along with Nurse clogged left defense side. That led to playing an inexperienced player to his off shooting side which didn't work. He was ultimately beat out by Desharnais bringing critical size, physicality, and PK support. Broberg became stuck in limbo.

The killer was Woodcroft who came in with 7-11 and largely press boxed Broberg or limited his ice to like 5-8 minutes, strangely press boxing him after good outings. Frustration grew. He showed promise in each year in North America but could never gain traction. Had a real good stretch with Bouchard but then the Oilers landed Ekholm.

Lots of spinning wheels, circumstances, and the player's own timidity at crucial times like training camp where jobs must be earned. All said, he took the demotion and turned his game around completely with big minutes and confidence. We saw the residuals of that stepping into deep playoff competition. The corner seemed to be turned.

But we all know how this story ended. Accountability all around.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

That was the mistake I think Jackson made, he should have explored trading them. But I think they truly believed the relationship was salvageable with Broberg and Holloway wouldn’t sign an offer sheet and the risk of a broberg os was manageable. It would have been hard to consider trading them because ultimately you want to keep both no matter what.

With Darren Ferris his main goal was to get his client out of Edmonton (and paid) so it would of served him to be duplicitous in dragging out negotiations with Jackson on things like position and deployment even if they were close on money to maximize the chances of the offer sheet plan working and Edmonton not matching. To that end it wouldn’t surprise me at all if he had a part in convincing Holloways camp to sign an offer sheet to put even more pressure on the Oilers to have to walk away. They probably thought the relatively minor cap hit differential and more importantly, low pick compensation would mean Oilers would surely match and not lose both players, meaning Holloway could have his cake and eat it too but it looks like maybe Holloway has a bit of signatory remorse, but what does Ferris care he got what he wanted for his client.

I view that as a lost due diligent opportunity. Make a second offer and gage response. Have check in calls with other GMs to feel out market interest and assert intent to match any offers but still ascertain trade interest to keep all options open.

Jackson's been in that chair as a super agent so I just have to believe with the soured relationship including trade request made that he'd have a clear eyed view of Ferris's motivations for his client. Trigger the radar that an offer sheet is one tangible weapon to fight for his client.

I've stopped viewing Holloway and agent as an innocent dupe in this situation. His eyes were wide open to the reality of moving and comfortable with this as a business decision.

Time to turn the page.

 

[Pavel10]

Pay me triple what I should be making and I’ll move to St. Louis too.

Every Edmontonian has that option. Its fort McMurray and people end up hating it.

 

[Nostradumbass]

Every Edmontonian has that option. It’s fort McMurray and people end up hating it.

Working up north doesn’t always involve a pay increase.

 

[aspin3]

Reminiscing

 

[Paralyzer]

Reminiscing

You know what I don't get? Is how everyone is so broken up about Broberg today, but when we drafted him, everyone on this board was flipping out and saying it was a wasted pick. So here we are and he wanted out of the team, and there's STILL people defending Broberg and trying to convince people the Oilers management is the issue. We're such a finicky fan base. Can't please anyone anymore rofl.

 

[aspin3]

You know what I don't get? Is how everyone is so broken up about Broberg today, but when we drafted him, everyone on this board was flipping out and saying it was a wasted pick. So here we are and he wanted out of the team, and there's STILL people defending Broberg and trying to convince people the Oilers management is the issue. We're such a finicky fan base. Can't please anyone anymore rofl.

Agree. As i have said before manyvcalling both Broberg and Holloway busts and were clamoring for Bouch to be traded 2 years ago. Heck they wanted tobtrade Drai for Subban and then later Karlsson

 

[McDNicks17]

You know what I don't get? Is how everyone is so broken up about Broberg today, but when we drafted him, everyone on this board was flipping out and saying it was a wasted pick. So here we are and he wanted out of the team, and there's STILL people defending Broberg and trying to convince people the Oilers management is the issue. We're such a finicky fan base. Can't please anyone anymore rofl.

I don't know if it's all just about Broberg. Like the six pages of defending Broberg that turned out to just be a thinly veiled rant about Nurse's contract haha.

People are good at turning any topic into what they want to complain about.

 

[Yuke]

So the realisitc position is to try and force a young player to play on his off side in the top 4?
Thats exactly what this team did in the playoffs.

Pretty sure Stecher would have been the RHD if he wasn't injured

 

[Frank the Tank]

I don't know if it's all just about Broberg. Like the six pages of defending Broberg that turned out to just be a thinly veiled rant about Nurse's contract haha.

People are good at turning any topic into what they want to complain about.

What would we talk about on here if we couldn't either:

1) Play the field against the actual decision that was made by management/coach

2) Bend every argument back to one's personal White Whale

 

[North Cole]

The Oilers were in control of the toilet paper market until they took their eyes off all external warning signs of impending disaster. Complacency and non-action on their controlled toilet paper and poof someone comes in and steals it. That safe, controlled stash is gone and its your own damn fault for the mess in aisle 1.

Once upon a time the Oilers of old pro-actively signed their young, pedigree talent earned in blood with progressive contracts through peak year performance. Largely worked out for them including a guy who's earned a ginormous raise which is coming due.

Their super agent leader who I am quite bullish on and the new GM hired because he managed a Cup winner through the perils of trying to sustain it were caught asleep and lost control over their cost controllable restricted free agents. Big cap bump in for first time since real world plague; GM and league warnings times were ripe for poaching; running up a cap deficit while offering their two best young NHLers hardline $1.2 million dollar deals and sitting back for status quo way it's always been done passive negotiation bit them on the ass.

Like other Oilers of old they now spin to marginal replacements with a defense is worse; cupboards are threadbare for depth support; and the Arizona Coyotes alumni group (the bad Arizona Coyotes teams) are the right side of an NHL defense that's gotten worse.

If only this situation could have been avoided. Oh wait... it could have been.

Any situation can be avoided, but the cost is too great. Again, this whole crying over spilt milk thing just makes no sense. If someone wants to come and steal toilet papers that's already been used for wiping, then can go right ahead...

The bottom line is Broberg is not worth anywhere near 4.6mX2. Full stop. The guy was requesting trades as a newly minted RFA because he was too shit to get into the roster over the likes of Vincent Desharnais.

Yeah once upon a time they signed young pedigree players. I'm still looking for where those players are to sign, because it ain't Holloway and Broberg lmfao. A team paying those types of players 7m per year is not a serious team.

 

[CupofOil]

Ceci -5 and Descharnais -9 in the playoffs. Just sayin'....

It's wild that people are lamenting the loss of a player who played on one of the worst playoff pairings in the NHL the last 3 playoffs and another who was healthy scratched the last 2 series. I happened to think that Ceci took too much shit but he's easily replaceable tbh.

I get lamenting the loss of Broberg because of his upside but even with Broberg, he wasn't a part of this D corp. that pretty much got them to the Conference Finals so he's not really a loss compared to last years' D which he really wasn't a part of.

 

[M Ace]

It's wild that people are lamenting the loss of a player who played on one of the worst playoff pairings in the NHL the last 3 playoffs and another who was healthy scratched the last 2 series. I happened to think that Ceci took too much shit but he's easily replaceable tbh.

I get lamenting the loss of Broberg because of his upside but even with Broberg, he wasn't a part of this D corp. that pretty much got them to the Conference Finals so he's not really a loss compared to last years' D which he really wasn't a part of.

 

[AUAIOMRN]

You know what I don't get? Is how everyone is so broken up about Broberg today, but when we drafted him, everyone on this board was flipping out and saying it was a wasted pick. So here we are and he wanted out of the team, and there's STILL people defending Broberg and trying to convince people the Oilers management is the issue. We're such a finicky fan base. Can't please anyone anymore rofl.

He was not the best pick at the time nor in hindsight, but he's still an asset that we completely wasted.