Considering the Calgary Flames have the draft pick compensation available, the cap space necessary to pay both players, and the potential willingness to take a shot at an Alberta rival, why didn’t they do what the St. Louis Blues did on Tuesday, which was tender offers to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway?
For Calgary, the organization certainly could have used both players as they rebuild over the next few seasons. Young, skilled, and developing talent is a must in Calgary where the franchise is a few seasons from seriously contending.
Broberg, 23, has appeared in 81 games for the Oilers over the past three seasons. He was a former first-round pick starting to find his way in the NHL. He came up big for Edmonton down the stretch in the 2024 playoffs, effectively making Vincent Desharnais expendable.
Holloway, 22, has played 89 games since debuting with the Oilers in the 2022-23 season. Another first-round pick, he was selected 14th overall in 2020. He too is starting to become an NHL regular. The Oilers have been bullish on him, but not as bullish as the player, who has overcome several injuries to fight his way onto a deep Oilers’ roster.
An addition on the Flames’ blue line and in their top nine wouldn’t have hurt. Now, it looks like the Blues, who are retooling, may have played a savvy game of chess while the Flames are playing checkers.
The Flames Had Little to Lose In Tendering Offers
If the Oilers choose to match, it will cost them money they don’t have available on their salary cap. That means corresponding moves that only help the Flames in a Pacific Division where they need all the help they can get. Who knows, maybe even the threat of an offer sheet from the Flames before one was tendered might have led to other business between the teams that helped the Flames.
Conversely, if the Oilers don’t match, the Flames would have been asked to give up a second-rounder for Broberg and a third-rounder for Holloway — not a hefty price to pay for either.
Broberg would have fit into the Flames top four on the left side, so the money invested wouldn’t have gone to waste (unless the player flopped and didn’t develop). Hollway is a speedy left-winger on a team that could use a little of that.
While the Blues were the only team bold enough to make this move, it feels like a missed opportunity for others, including the Flames.
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