Feel free to question whether the possibility of paying $4.6 million per year to Philip Broberg is wise, but a series of moves put the Oilers in the position to do that.
Dylan Holloway celebrates a goal with Leon Draisaitl, Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final.Just a week ago, things looked so dire in Edmonton. Not quite as bad as when they were in an 0-3 hole in the Stanley Cup final, but pretty bleak.
The St. Louis Blues had just offered defenseman Philip Broberg and winger Dylan Holloway offer sheets that seemed to put the cap-strapped Oilers in a position to lose one or both first-round picks.
Well, a couple of canny moves later – the most prominent of which was trading much-maligned defenseman Cody Ceci to San Jose – and Oilers GM Stan Bowman and president of hockey operations Jeff Jackson have Edmonton back in a position to control its own destiny.
We don't know for sure yet whether the Oilers will be matching the offers. And we won't know for a while whether doing so will be a wise move, but the Bowman and Jackson have pulled the Oilers out of a tight spot, one that seemed untenable just a week ago.
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