The St. Louis Blues have made headlines this offseason by issuing offer sheets to Edmonton Oilers restricted free agents (RFAs) Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway, creating a tough situation for the Oilers given their salary cap constraints. Newly appointed general manager Stan Bowman now faces his first major decisions. To stay within the salary cap, the Oilers will need to match Holloway’s contract, let Broberg go, and address the remaining cap issues later.
Oilers fans largely agree that matching Holloway’s two-year, $2,290,457 average annual value (AAV) contract is essential. The 22-year-old demonstrated last season that he is ready for a full-time role, and with Ryan McLeod’s departure, there’s an opportunity for Holloway to secure regular ice time. Moreover, if the Oilers don’t match Holloway’s offer, they would only receive a third-round pick as compensation. Given Holloway’s age, potential, and position, losing him for a third-round pick—a selection that wouldn’t provide a player of his caliber for several seasons—seems a poor trade-off, especially in the midst of the Connor McDavid era.
At 23, Broberg’s future remains uncertain. He has shown potential in recent seasons but has developed more slowly than expected. While there is still hope he could become a top-four defenseman, it seems unlikely that this will happen with the Oilers.
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