The Loss of Broberg and Holloway Gripe Thread

[Louis Cypher]

There was no reality where Broberg would've been happy in Edmonton, even at $1.8m. The damage was done well before.

This was Ken Holland's calling card. Overcooking prospects and waiting until they earn the role. You don't do that shit in the cap era. And you sure as hell shouldn't be doing it to your 1st rounders.

I disagree this is totally on Holland. Broberg was Hollands big pick in a deep draft. It was on the coaches that Holland hired who chose not to play him. Holland extending Kulak didn't help but it was the coaches final decision.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

I’m getting more and more curious as to what Brobergs issues were with the team/org. Like was it just lack of opportunity? Friction with teammates or coaches? Maybe he just didn’t want to live there? Maybe it was potential earnings, you see Nurse making a fortune along with McDrai, Bouchard should get paid, at what point could Broberg get a nice piece of that pie?

Honestly I’m a little suspicious of the core players and how well they treat new teammates, or how much say they have in the lineup/minutes played. There’s patterns of behavior that multiple coaches have exhibited that make me wonder.

 

[McDNicks17]

Of all the objections to the idea that we could have traded him, this one is not valid. Wherever Broberg's rights landed, he would have signed with his new team and play NHL games.

When Shea Weber signed his offer sheet with the Flyers, his agent went on radio shows and said that Shea wanted out of Nashville. But, Nashville matched because they knew there was no power there. If Weber sucked it up and played, of course Broberg would have. He absolutely would have played on the Oilers even, if offer sheets weren't an option for him

And that's the reason why it's valid. Broberg always had the offer sheet to fall back on.

He didn't have to suck it up and play anywhere. He could just go where he wanted and get a really nice pay raise.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I’m getting more and more curious as to what Brobergs issues were with the team/org. Like was it just lack of opportunity? Friction with teammates or coaches? Maybe he just didn’t want to live there? Maybe it was potential earnings, you see Nurse making a fortune along with McDrai, Bouchard should get paid, at what point could Broberg get a nice piece of that pie?

Honestly I’m a little suspicious of the core players and how well they treat new teammates, or how much say they have in the lineup/minutes played. There’s patterns of behavior that multiple coaches have exhibited that make me wonder.

There's no evidence that Broberg was a bad teammate. No evidence that he was poorly treated or disliked by his teammates or organization. No evidence he didn't want to play pro hockey in Edmonton. The Oilers sent their D coach to Sweden in off-season to prepare him for playing alongside Ekholm. Fate intervenes and Ekholm is hurt all camp and then the Oilers collapse to start the season in which Broberg started and then saw his ice time and starts wither on the vine as Woodcroft spun into season and job saving mode. Frustration set in and manifested with his agent making a public trade request.

Often the simplest answer is the right one. Another story of a disconnect between a player and team over opportunity and gaps in how each perceived the issue... though Holland acknowledged the organization's gaffes and his need to 'figure out' the Broberg situation (this last public comment coming after the Ekholm deal closed a solid third pair run by Bouchard and Broberg).

Ultimately Broberg controlled what he could control by taking the AHL demotion and stepped up with performance by reports and opinions of many as the or one of the best d-men in that league. Called up and sat as a playoff Black Ace until called on to play in final four NHL Stanley Cup competition.

Heavily scouted in the AHL by St. Louis and presumably other NHL teams with the work and successes achieved opened daylight to explore opportunity to play and a fresh start elsewhere. Pro careers are short. Unfortunately the Oilers misread the relationship and market despite the risk.

 

[Lay Z Boy GM]

There's no evidence that Broberg was a bad teammate. No evidence that he was poorly treated or disliked by his teammates or organization. No evidence he didn't want to play pro hockey in Edmonton. The Oilers sent their D coach to Sweden in off-season to prepare him for playing alongside Ekholm. Fate intervenes and Ekholm is hurt all camp and then the Oilers collapse to start the season in which Broberg started and then saw his ice time and starts wither on the vine as Woodcroft spun into season and job saving mode. Frustration set in and manifested with his agent making a public trade request.

Often the simplest answer is the right one. Another story of a disconnect between a player and team over opportunity and gaps in how each perceived the issue... though Holland acknowledged the organization's gaffes and his need to 'figure out' the Broberg situation (this last public comment coming after the Ekholm deal closed a solid third pair run by Bouchard and Broberg).

Ultimately Broberg controlled what he could control by taking the AHL demotion and stepped up with performance by reports and opinions of many as the or one of the best d-men in that league. Called up and sat as a playoff Black Ace until called on to play in final four NHL Stanley Cup competition.

Heavily scouted in the AHL by St. Louis and presumably other NHL teams with the work and successes achieved opened daylight to explore opportunity to play and a fresh start elsewhere. Pro careers are short. Unfortunately the Oilers misread the relationship and market despite the risk.

Very well put together summation of the whole situation.

I couldn’t remember when Broberg and Bouch were a pair either, thanks for the reminder. They were good together in that short stint, that could have been Brobergs opportunity but it was cut short.

Bah, so many “what ifs” with this org.

 

[Scrapin Ice]

The Broberg situation started before he was even drafted.
Nurse had Holland over a barrel and he cratered big time.
About a year ago some guy on here suggested and supported a trade 'Broberg for Kovacevic'.
Sure wish we had done that now. Kovacevic's been playing top 4 for NJD.
However both Luke and Brett have returned. This has pushed Nemec out of the lineup.
Maybe Kovacevic is available now.

 

[BlackDogg]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1849874405289005057

I think that's piling on.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1850048251896136126

 

[Mr Positive]

And that's the reason why it's valid. Broberg always had the offer sheet to fall back on.

He didn't have to suck it up and play anywhere. He could just go where he wanted and get a really nice pay raise.

Again, if he were traded somewhere else that could match that offer sheet, and is comfortable overpaying if cap space isnt an issue, it's like there is no offer sheet threat. You are way overstating the power of the offer sheet. Whoever held the rights had all the power over him. We could have matched the offer sheet and he would have played for us. More established players have sucked it up and played

Your whole argument hinges on that he would sit out games if he went where he didn't pick to go. There's virtually no chance that would happen. He wanted NHL playing time more than anything.

 

[McDNicks17]

Again, if he were traded somewhere else that could match that offer sheet, and is comfortable overpaying if cap space isnt an issue, it's like there is no offer sheet threat. You are way overstating the power of the offer sheet. Whoever held the rights had all the power over him. We could have matched the offer sheet and he would have played for us. More established players have sucked it up and played

Your whole argument hinges on that he would sit out games if he went where he didn't pick to go. There's virtually no chance that would happen. He wanted NHL playing time more than anything.

That has nothing to do with my argument. He was never at risk at sitting out games because he essentially already had a contract with St. Louis way back in June.

If a team calls that they don't want, they just tell them they won't sign and why would a GM call that bluff? You're going to give up premium assets for a player without a contract who is already refusing to sign before you even trade for him? That's a quick way to get fired.

And like was posted above, only four other teams were looking to make the same offer sheet and they all had to clear cap space to do it, so it's not like teams with cap space were the ones looking to get him.

 

[bobbythebrain]

I’m getting more and more curious as to what Brobergs issues were with the team/org. Like was it just lack of opportunity? Friction with teammates or coaches? Maybe he just didn’t want to live there? Maybe it was potential earnings, you see Nurse making a fortune along with McDrai, Bouchard should get paid, at what point could Broberg get a nice piece of that pie?

Honestly I’m a little suspicious of the core players and how well they treat new teammates, or how much say they have in the lineup/minutes played. There’s patterns of behavior that multiple coaches have exhibited that make me wonder.

You're overthinking this bigtime. It was well established the dressing room was as solid as could be. Everyone was part of the team. Holloway attested to that even after jumping ship

Broberg simply was upset over spending the year in the AHL. He also realized he had little opportunity here to succeed to his full potential. He was slotted to play on his offside and zero pp opportunity

Also. you can be sure he weighed his options knowing he was slated to play with Nurse a bunch. I guarantee that was a factor

 

[frag2]

Are people still lamenting over Broberg gone? Guy didn't want to be here. He might be playing well for the Blues [remains to be seen if itll hold up] but at the end of the day, if he wanted to move on from Edmonton as speculated back in January, nothing was ever gonna change that unless Holland was trading Kulak/Nurse...which clearly he didn't want to

 

[SaltNPeca]

A bit late to the party, but I'm here guys

I love me some sexy Swedish D. What a shame to lose washboard-abs Adam Larsson, Dreamy Oscar Klefbom, and now silky young Broberg... at least we have Ekholm.

Hopefully the Oil can trade for +1 Swedish D by the deadline to take us to Valhalla

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Are people still lamenting over Broberg gone? Guy didn't want to be here. He might be playing well for the Blues [remains to be seen if itll hold up] but at the end of the day, if he wanted to move on from Edmonton as speculated back in January, nothing was ever gonna change that unless Holland was trading Kulak/Nurse...which clearly he didn't want to

It's an easy thread to avoid. This is a history making situation that's being analyzed extensively for the impact it carries for two franchises and prospective the way the league's management and labour pool do business in the future.

At the heart of it is how does this happen for an organization with significant, obvious risk factors including frayed relationship, limited cap dollars, double indemnity with two pedigree RFA's, and an economic growth market with first real bump of $5 million available for teams to spend. The Oilers high risk situation was much discussed in media circles, apparently noted internally, and at least one GM on public record (the poacher himself) in June advised that offer sheets could be on the table to improve his team's situation. The Oilers summer plans can be defined as pre-August 12 and reactive August 12 scrambled contingency plan that's left a Stanley Cup Finalist roster worse off and with significant question marks at a difficult, marquee position to fill.

It's legitimate question alot of people are asking in how, all risk factors considered, can an organization that's had trouble developing prospects and now preaching development under its leadership group slip into inaction for well over a month and enable the market to set new valuations on its NHL ready talent expected to be roster contributors in immediate term and likely longer term (and/or at minimum quality assets utilized like the McLeod trade to offload cap space to build future quality prospect pool depth of a very meagre pipeline). On top of the questions is how a management group led by a former super agent well versed in leveraging CBA vehicles and who actually worked with the agent with the deteriorated relationship with his team did not act to mitigate and get ahead of the substantive risks.

Lots of reasons to discuss this precedent setting situation. Not to mention the Oilers still have to substantively improve the Cup window blueline with the reactive course imposed on them with August 12th's market re-valuation of Broberg and Holloway.

It's reasonable to question and discuss the 'new' management's decision making and choices in a situation with significant friction going back to November and a free falling team and its coaching staff left the young player in limbo. Just like Oiler fans discuss consequential decisions like signing Jack Campbell or Lucic; trading pedigree draft assets for Reinhart; on and on.

In this league quality defensemen are a coveted asset often requiring draft and development to secure them. Or costly to acquire by trade. The Oilers gave up their hard miles developed one after a quality support Stanley Cup Final run for the cost of a secondary draft pick. So is this old Oilers management bad decisions repeating themselves yet again or will this management group dig itself out of the situation of their making with a big trade that helps the Oilers return to the Cup Final and win it. Big inflection point in this franchise's time.

 

[Drivesaitl]

I’m getting more and more curious as to what Brobergs issues were with the team/org. Like was it just lack of opportunity? Friction with teammates or coaches? Maybe he just didn’t want to live there? Maybe it was potential earnings, you see Nurse making a fortune along with McDrai, Bouchard should get paid, at what point could Broberg get a nice piece of that pie?

Honestly I’m a little suspicious of the core players and how well they treat new teammates, or how much say they have in the lineup/minutes played. There’s patterns of behavior that multiple coaches have exhibited that make me wonder.

Had nothing to do with not wanting to live here and any player from a Nordic country can easily handle living and playing in Canada. Could even be said presence of compatriots like Ekholm, Janmark make it easier to be here.

I will say that theres potential there si something in your suspicion. A lot of players are for some reason happier after they leave here and this hasn't been just a new thing but seemingly ongoing. So many players do better elsewhere than they did here and it started around the time or Ryan Strome.

 

[Stealth1616]

The Broberg situation is pretty clear. He was obviously a disgruntled player who felt like he wasn’t getting an opportunity and even if he did the left D position has been/will be set for the next few years. Even when playing we were forcing him into his off wing which is where he would have been this year if he stayed. Thus the trade request earlier in the season.

Now I don’t think he did himself any favours here when he did have the opportunity to make the team.

But he showed enough for another team to take a gamble on him and it seems to be working so far. It was a situation the team put itself into with no real option once the offersheet came.

Think people just need to accept it and move on

 

[BlackDogg]

The Broberg situation is pretty clear. He was obviously a disgruntled player who felt like he wasn’t getting an opportunity and even if he did the left D position has been/will be set for the next few years. Even when playing we were forcing him into his off wing which is where he would have been this year if he stayed. Thus the trade request earlier in the season.

Now I don’t think he did himself any favours here when he did have the opportunity to make the team.

But he showed enough for another team to take a gamble on him and it seems to be working so far. It was a situation the team put itself into with no real option once the offersheet came.

Think people just need to accept it and move on

Its kind of like Puju, except a much better player and nobody would offer sheet him. Now would he have straightened out? Maybe. Young kids don't always know what they need at that age.