On Monday of last week, the St. Louis Blues gave offer sheets to two Edmonton Oiler restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. The deals were different to each player. It came down to the wire, but a decision on Broberg is now final. The Oilers decided not to match the offer sheet of either player. Now, Broberg receives a two-year contract, with an average annual value of $4,580,917 with the St. Louis Blues. This means the Oilers receive a second-round draft choice as compensation. If it was for just a dollar more, the next tier of competition would have kicked-in. This would have gave the Oilers a first and third-round pick instead.
Both Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway have been informed they are St. Louis Blues. Oilers do not match.
One thing I believe is key here: Edmonton wants flexibility to add in-season.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) August 20, 2024
The St. Louis Blues Sign Defenceman Philip Broberg to Contract
When Philip Broberg came to the Oilers and still does today as a member of the Blues, have high expectations. He was originally introduced to the Oilers as the eighth 0verall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Now at 23-years-old, keeping in mind that defenceman can take a little longer to develop, this contract is a big deal for player and team. Moreover, throughout Broberg’s NHL career thus far, he has appeared in just 81 career regular season games. He has two goals and 11 assists to his credit in that time. Also, he has been deployed quite cautiously playing only 12:42 a game on average.
However, after only appearing in 12 regular season games for the Oilers in 2023-24, it seems the organization made a shift in his deployment. Broberg got in for the final three victories against the Dallas Stars in their 2024 NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference final series. Then, he kept the momentum rolling by playing in all seven games of the final. His play, combining some offence with two goals and skating 15:48 a night showed his size and mobility and why he could be such an asset. His performance in the games when it mattered the most was a huge reason for general manager Doug Armstrong identifying his potential importance to the club.
What Does this Mean for the St. Louis Blues and Broberg
People were surprised with the AAV that Armstrong presented in this offer sheet. It was a decisive move, forcing the Oilers hand, as they were against the cap. Edmonton has since made a couple trades, involving Cody Ceci and Vasily Podkolzin, but ultimately decided to let Philip Broberg go to the Blues on this contract. The Oilers didn’t have cap flexibility, whereas the Blues did. Therefore, they were able to offer the inexperienced Broberg a large contract. Now, the onus shifts to the player. So, it really is up to Broberg himself how much ice time he gets based on his play. The nice thing about doing that in St. Louis, is the club’s expectations aren’t so high, like they are in the Stanley Cup hungry Edmonton.
Main photo: Jim Rassol-USA TODAY Sports
