Whether it’s a double offer sheet from St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong or complaints that the Edmonton Oilers were gifted too many first-overall picks, they always seem to bear the brunt of a lot of jealousy and criticism from around the NHL. Even Matthew Tkachuk had to show how classy he is by getting his Battle of Alberta shots in after winning the Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers. The crazy thing about Tkachuk was a bunch of Calgary Flames fans were fanatical in their support of him and the Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final even though he turned his back on their franchise and most likely set the Flames back a decade.
The latest offer sheet from the Blues for restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway really has me thinking that there are more and more people around the NHL with some deep seeded jealousy — many who do not want to see the Oilers do well despite their own team’s failings. Why? What did little old Edmonton do to them?
Did it Start With Gretzky, Messier and the Dynasty Team?
Did the hatred for the Oilers start back in the dynasty years when Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey were rewriting records on their way to all their Stanley Cup victories in the 1980s? Did it happen when the Oilers recently built one of the best new arenas in the NHL? Was it when they won the draft lottery in 2015 for the rights to draft Connor McDavid first overall? What is it? This recent double offer sheet from Armstrong and the Blues might look like a shrewd hockey move but it also seems excessive. NHL front offices often have unwritten gentlemen’s agreements and leave the fighting for the ice. Creating two offer sheets against one team for the first time in NHL history seems a bit over the top, especially for a team like the Blues, who are years away from contending again.
Does this have anything to do with the Oilers hiring Stan Bowman? A few eyebrows were raised when Armstrong worked with Pittsburgh Penguins GM Kyle Dubas to swap picks recently. Armstrong obviously consulted with his vice president of hockey operations Peter Chiarelli who was the former GM of the Oilers. There was talk this past week that Armstrong would never have done something like this had his golfing buddy Ken Holland still been GM of the Oilers. So what’s up? Is there a bigger story behind the move? And why now and so strategic? Was it Armstrong’s intention to cripple the Oilers? If it was, he’s definitely accomplished that.
The Oilers are in salary cap hell, and might have to let go of one or both Broberg and Holloway, two prospects who they drafted and groomed for NHL service. Some feel they might’ve been too ripened and deserved to be called up to the NHL sooner. However, the Oilers were often criticized for rushing prospects such as Taylor Hall, Nail Yakapov and Jesse Puljujärvi to the NHL too quickly. It seems like the Oilers are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.
Oilers in Win-Now Mode With McDavid & Draisaitl
No matter what happens with Broberg and Holloway, the Oilers will still have a strong team and a legitimate shot to contend in the 2024-25 season. Both McDavid and Leon Draistail are in their prime. Evan Bouchard is emerging as one of the best defencemen in the league, and players such as Mattias Ekholm, Zach Hyman, and Stuart Skinner are still on the team. And don’t forget that Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner are with the Oilers as well. If they do lose one or both Broberg and Holloway, they will be older and slower but they’re still a hell of a hockey team. Just when things were looking rosy for the Oilers heading into training camp this summer, the news of the Blues’ offer sheets has definitely rocked the franchise and the fan base. Now it’s up to new GM Bowman and president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson to do something positive with the hand they’ve been dealt.
The Oilers could put forward Evander Kane on long-term injury reserve (LTIR) to shed some salary during the regular season. This would be a move similar to how the Tampa Lightning dealt with Nikita Kucherov or how the Vegas Golden Knights put Mark Stone on LTIR. It’ll be interesting because the season is long, and there’s still the NHL Trade Deadline coming up in March 2025. If they can somehow start the season off strong, or at least better than they did in the 2023-24 season, they should be in a good position to contend this season. Yes, there are future headaches such as Draisaitl’s new contract, and signing Bouchard and McDavid to new deals. But that’s another story for another day. The Oilers will be focused on the here and now this year. And that could be bad news for other teams in the NHL.
Who knows, if the Oilers keep on winning that could mean even more targets on their backs. It’s okay, they’re used to it. The team from one of the smallest markets in the league is still going to make some noise. Hopefully, the Oilers and their fanbase use the hatred targeted against them to their advantage. Revenge can be a dish that is often best served sweet.
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