Should The Edmonton Oilers Regret Parting With Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway?

As the Edmonton Oilers bounce back from a slow start and navigate their current roster challenges, two of their former RFAs hit a stride with their new team.

The decision to move on from young talents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway may be coming back to haunt them. Considering both are off to great starts with the St. Louis Blues, their performances raise the question of whether the Oilers made a mistake saying goodbye to them.

Holloway and Broberg are showing their potential after signing offer sheets to join the Blues that the Oilers didn't match. Broberg has six assists and eight points in 10 games. Holloway has four goals and five points in the same span. Neither player posted these kinds of numbers with the Oilers, but the signs of potential were there.

Fans and analysts are debating whether the Oilers' choices were shortsighted. In Broberg's particular case, Blues columnist and insider Andy Strickland commented he was surprised the Oilers allowed a player of Broberg’s caliber and skating ability to leave.

"Typically, the only way you get your hands on these guys is by drafting them," Strickland wrote in an X post. "They got him eighth overall and lost him at 23. How good is this this guy going to be at 27?"

While it is true the Oilers would have loved to have kept both players and their untapped potential, is it crystal clear?

Broberg and Holloway's situations in Edmonton and St. Louis are different. There's no certainty their hot start would've also happened with the Oilers.

In Broberg's case, he went through a lot with Edmonton, and it wasn't always positive. Injuries slowed his development, as did losing out to other defensemen in successive training camps. He appeared to have potential, but something inevitably got in the way. 

After five seasons of slow development in Edmonton, Broberg hadn't yet proven himself. By then, not only was he reportedly frustrated with the way things had gone, but the Oilers were in a different place as a contender. 

By the time Broberg showed more value in last season's playoff run, the Oilers were a Stanley Cup favorite that barely had any salary cap room to pay what Broberg was worth. There was no way the team could match a $4.85-million offer from St. Louis without cutting back in several other areas.

The Oilers did have an opportunity to sign Broberg earlier in 2023 but prioritized other things. The organization may reflect on that now and realize it was a tactical error. Still, it's just as likely Broberg wasn't interested at that time, just as he told the 32 Thoughts Podcast on Oct. 25 he was ready to move on this off-season. 

Meanwhile, Holloway wasn't necessarily looking to leave, but he was looking for a bigger role. He had speed to burn and a nose for the net, but he, too, was hit with several injuries. He wanted an opportunity and a contract he arguably hadn't earned. 

Edmonton had an opportunity for Holloway to take the next step, but the team also wanted proven commodities to make another run at the Cup. Holloway wasn't it. 

Broberg got off to a tremendous start with the Blues, with a six-game points streak. He has since slowed down, with two points in his last four games. That was expected. 

Still, Broberg's playing big minutes, and the Oilers could have used another top-four defenseman. Broberg being a left-handed shot would have created questions, but there's no doubt he's got skills, even if he's possibly not worth $4.85 million per season at this stage in his career. The Blues made a calculated bet that he's worth this much down the line.

Holloway is likely to be the better value this season, and the Oilers are missing his speed on the wing. Can he finally stay healthy and pot 15 to 20 goals? History says no, but the Blues believe otherwise. 

All that said, the Oilers chose financial flexibility over locking these players in on overpayments. That could lead to additions at the deadline, which the team will likely make in its quest for another lengthy playoff run. Meanwhile, the jury is out on whether the aggressive approach taken by the Blues will pay off.

Friedman noted in the 32 Thoughts Podcast that other NHL teams are closely watching what the Blues did. If the offer sheets strategy works, they may try to emulate their moves. If it doesn't, these offer sheets may remain a seldom-used tactic by NHL GMs.

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