TSN: Ryan Risaug on the Edmonton Oilers contract offer to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway before they signed the offers sheets.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
“Another info that we all know. The Oilers did enter into negotiations with Broberg before these offer sheets happened. Two years at $1.1 million was their offer, in accordance with Broberg agent Darren Ferris.
Who also tells me there have been multiple other teams prepared to maneuver with this offer sheet strategy against the Oilers. So if it wasn’t the Blues, seems like it might have been one other team.
Why were these players exposed in the event that they’re that useful to the organization? That’s a good query. I believe that there have been errors along the way in which in the way in which the Oilers have managed these two prospects. I believe whenever you’re coping with first-round picks and high-end prospects, they should see a really clear plan in place.
Once they’re within the National Hockey League, they should get minutes. In the event that they’re within the American Hockey League, they should get big minutes. There must be a really clear development path laid out for players like this. And I believe at times, this Oiler organization failed to do this, particularly with Philip Broberg, who oftentimes, last season, was hauled around on the roster as a seventh defenseman getting little or no minutes, which prompted a trade request last season.
So within the absence of a transparent development plan, I believe there was significant frustration in Broberg’s camp, and in a whole lot of ways, that’s what led to them being where they’re here today.
No doubt, this hurts the Oilers from a development standpoint. They
have good young players still within the organization due to among the trades they’ve made on this offseason, but likely in evaluation of the way in which they’re handling these top end picks, is something that this team absolutely must do.
