St. Louis Blues GM Doug Armstrong decided to shock the hockey world earlier this week when the team announced they have tendered offer sheets to Edmonton Oilers defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway.
Although this was a savvy move by Armstrong to potentially acquire two young roster players in hopes they can become core franchise members in the future, the announcement could have left other Blues players worried about their spot on the roster.
The Oilers have until Aug. 20 to match St. Louis’ offers for both players and maybe there are some members of the organization secretly hoping that happens.
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Below we discuss a few roster players whose spot on the roster may be in jeopardy if Edmonton doesn’t match the two offer sheets.
First, let’s look at the backend and how bringing in Philip Broberg affects a long-standing NHL veteran and a young offensively skilled defenseman.
Broberg has yet to establish himself as a full-time NHL player, but he showed well when he was put in the Oilers’ lineup on their way to the Stanley Cup Final.
Also, St. Louis wouldn’t offer him $4.5 million per year just to put more pressure on Edmonton to match them. Clearly, the organization believes Broberg is ready for that next step, and to do so in a Blues jersey.
Now, let’s assume that St. Louis will be without Torey Krug for most (or all) of the season due to his ankle injury. Broberg could take his spot in the top four on the left side playing with either Colton Parayko or Justin Faulk.
This move would push 26-year-old defenseman Scott Perunovich down the lineup once again, which could frustrate the former top prospect.
Adjacently if this were to happen, Perunovich would fight for the third-pair role against veteran Ryan Suter, who seems like a perfect partner and mentor for the young right-shot Matthew Kessel.
If Broberg becomes a St. Louis Blue, the team’s depth on the blueline gets a big boost, but left-shot defenders Perunovich, Suter, and P-O. Joseph will have a three-way battle to maintain their spot on the roster.
This is also assuming that Matthew Kessel retains his spot on the team’s third pair. He has the luxury of being a right shot compared to the others.
Now, moving to the forward core.
Edmonton will likely match the Blues’ offer on Dylan Holloway as it isn’t as steep of a cap hit. However, if they decide to let their former first-round pick become a member of the St. Louis Blues, the fight to stay in the bottom six will be intense.
If Holloway can increase his offensive output, he’ll become a significantly stronger middle-six utility forward. He’s a coach’s dream. His compete level is off the charts and willing to adapt his game to whatever role the team needs.
His speed matches skillfully alongside Mathieu Joseph and Alexandre Texier. That could turn into the Blues’ third line in 2024-25, which would be an upgrade for the team.
If this dream were to come true in real life, it would push the newly acquired Radek Faksa down to being the team’s fourth-line center, and Alexey Toropchenko would move back down to the fourth-line. Now there is one spot remaining for Oskar Sundqvist, Kasperi Kapanen, Nathan Walker, Zachary Bolduc, or Dalibor Dvorsky.
Related: Dalibor Dvorsky: “It’s all up to me”
Acquiring Holloway virtually means that top prospects Bolduc and Dvorsky have to blow St. Louis’ socks off in training camp to secure a roster spot. Both seem eager and ready to make that jump, but bringing another forward in complicates that.
Injuries happen, and having a surplus of depth players ready to fill in is a luxury every team wants. Alas, it can upset players when they feel they are ready to take on that next step. They just need to be given the opportunity.
The organization will be thrilled if the Oilers don’t match the offer sheets and Broberg and Holloway are in a St. Louis jersey come October.
Alas, other members of the organization may start to worry about their spot on the roster, making training camp even more important for them.
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