All eyes on Edmonton Oilers ahead of impending decisions on Blues' offer sheets
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It's decision day for the Edmonton Oilers on whether or not match the offer sheets presented by the St. Louis Blues to restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway.
The Oilers must announce their decision Tuesday morning, seven days after the offer sheets were signed. The team has been active over the past week in the trade market, but it remains unclear whether the Oilers plan to match the offer sheet for either or both of the players.
Broberg received a two-year offer from the Blues at $4,580,917 per season, while Dylan Holloway's offer was at $2,290,457 per year on a two-year term. Edmonton will receive a second-round pick back for Broberg if the team elects not to match and a third-round pick back for Holloway.
Receiving the picks back could be enticing for the Oilers, who currently only have sixth- and seventh-round picks in the 2025 draft. The Oilers traded their third-round pick on Sunday as part of moving blueliner Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for defenceman Ty Emberson.
Edmonton also acquired forward Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks earlier in the day, sending pick their 2025 fourth-round pick in that deal.
Cap space cleared to match?
Moving Ceci cleared $3.25 million from the Oilers books, and helped set a potential path for the Oilers to fit Broberg and Holloway under the salary cap. PuckPedia reports that the Oilers could fit both contracts under the salary cap if Evander Kane is placed on long-term injured reserve and one player carrying a cap hit of $801,000 or more is sent to the AHL.
Shelving Kane on LTIR, though, would likely only be a short-term solution for Edmonton. TSN's Ryan Rishaug reported last this week that he believes surgery is the most likely course of action for Kane, who is not likely to be ready for training camp and could be out several months. The Oilers would eventually need to clear cap space to reinstate him onto the roster should he recover before the end of the regular season.
Electing not to match would leave the Oilers as cap compliant without needing to move Kane on long-term injured reserve.
Broberg, 23, had two assists in 12 games with Edmonton during the regular season in 2023-24 and posted two goals and an assist in 10 games during the postseason, playing in all seven games during the Stanley Cup Final. He averaged 15:47 of ice time in the playoffs.
It's unclear if the Oilers see more than a depth role for Emberson on their roster after Sunday's trade. The 24-year-old had one goal and nine assists for 10 points in 30 games last season, averaging 18:32 of ice time as a rookie. He is signed at a $950,000 cap hit this season.
Adding Podkolzin could serve as insurance in case the Oilers elect not to match on Holloway. Selected 10th overall in the 2019 draft, the 23-year-old has struggled to carve out a full-time role as an NHL player. He had two assists in 19 games last season and has 18 goals and 35 points over 137 career games, all with the Canucks.
Holloway also split time between the Oilers and AHL's Bakersfield Condors this past season, posting six goals and nine points in 38 games with the NHL club. The 22-year-old forward appeared in all 25 games during the postseason, posting five goals and two assists. He was selected 14th overall by Edmonton in the 2020 draft.
The Blues did have to pay an additional price to even sign the dual offer sheets after needing to re-acquire their own draft pick to sign Broberg.
The Blues received their own 2025 second-rounder (acquired by Pittsburgh in the Kevin Hayes trade) and a 2026 fifth-rounder from the Penguins, sending a 2026 second-round pick and a 2025 third-round pick (the Ottawa Senators' selection) just before inking the two deals last week.