St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong tendering offer sheets to two players was bold. It now makes him a marked man.
Armstrong Stirs the Pot
Armstrong tendered offer sheets to Edmonton Oilers defenceman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway. The Oilers have less than seven days to match the offer. If they do not, Broberg and Holloway will be Blues.
Both Broberg and Holloway are restricted free agents. They are not under contract, but their rights are still retained by the Oilers. The only way a team can acquire them is either via trade of an offer sheet. It is a bold, but rare, strategy. Armstrong’s bold move certainly puts newly-named general manager Stan Bowman in a tough spot. Bowman already had much to do with the reigning Western Conference Champions, but things are now more complicated.
For the Blues, it is a chance to add youth to team at a reasonable price. Furthermore, Armstrong has the draft picks needed to compensate the Oilers if needed. But, will Armstrong have to pay the price for his choice?
Is Armstrong Doomed to Repeat History?
Recent history of offer sheets suggest retaliation could be coming. In 2019, the Montreal Canadiens tendered an offer sheet to budding-star Sebastian Aho. The Carolina Hurricanes matched the offer. As a result, Aho remained a Hurricane. However, that was not the end of the saga. Two years later, the Hurricanes tendered an offer sheet to Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Canadiens did not match, and the Hurricanes got Kotkaniemi. Was this revenge by the Hurricanes? Well, Kotkaniemi was given a signing bonus of $20. Coincidentally, or perhaps, 20 is the number worn by Aho.
If the Blues are successful in acquiring at least one of either Broberg or Holloway, Bowman may look for ways to return the favour.
Offer Sheet Candidates For Bowman
Bowman may not have to wait long if he does want revenge. After this season, forward Jake Neighbours and goaltender Joel Hofer are unrestricted free agents. Both are coming off breakout seasons and have a future with the Blues. Neighbours could be a great complimentary piece alongside Connor McDavid. In addition, a goaltending duo of Stuart Skinner and Hofer would be a solid tandem.
Would Bowman do this? Well, he has nothing to lose if he does and everything to gain. Neighbours and Hofer are in better spots in their careers than Broberg and Holloway. It may cost them more money and higher draft picks, but it would be a price worth paying. Quite frankly, it would be a price worth paying for most teams in the NHL.
Should Armstrong Be Proactive?
Yes, he should. Even before this situation, Neighbours and Hofer were already deserving of contract extensions. Extending Neighbours helps build a core for the Blues. Furthermore, extending Hofer would give the Blues a solid tandem and a possible starter down the road. The case was already there to extend both, but now the case is even stronger.
The Blues have the cap space to extend both. In fact, the salaries would not even go into effect until the 2025-26 season. By then, Armstrong will have had more time to work on the Blues salary cap. For all intents and purposes, the cap is not a factor in possible Neighbours and Hofer extensions.
We could play the long game and say Bowman may then just target young prospects like Zachary Bolduc or Zach Dean. If we played the long game, we would be here all night. Even the, by the time the young players are ready for contracts, the Blues cap would have improved dramatically as big contracts come off the books.
An Eye For An Eye
Time will tell what becomes of this situation. What we have is so rare that it is certainly something to keep up with. Armstrong has stirred the pot, now we wait to see if he will have to lick the spoon.
Main Photo: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
