Oilers GM Explains Offer Sheet Decision

The Edmonton Oilers declined to match the St. Louis Blues' offer sheets for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway.

Jun 11, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman is interviewed during media day in preparation for game one of the 2013 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports / Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday morning, the Edmonton Oilers opted not to match the St. Louis Blues' offer sheets to defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway, and it wasn't an easy decision to make.

In a press conference on Tuesday, Oilers general manager Stan Bowman confirmed that while he likes both players, matching the offer sheets just wasn't viable financially.

"We really took our time analyzing and evaluating the different options, and in the process of doing so, when we would come up with things to investigate further, that was when I had a number of phone calls over the last week with most teams in the league trying to see if there was what they were trying to do with their roster, if they were trying to move any players out, or if they were trying to add any players to the mix," Bowman said, per the Oilers' site.

"So we exhausted all opportunities, and at the end of the day, we ended up where we are today, which is we did not match either offer sheet."

Based on the Oilers' decision, it's clear that Bowman co. are placing an emphasis on cap flexibility, and for good reason. Edmonton was already up against the cap, so paying two players who played a combined 50 games last season close to $7 million was not a great plan.

"I go back to my opening comments, which were we were evaluating the situation that we were in when those offer sheets came in, and given that as well as the other constraints that we have, we didn't feel like it was the right move to essentially limit our options moving forward, not only this year but in the future," Bowman said. "So it's less about the players and their abilities and their talents. It's really about trying to set ourselves up in the best position that we can be so that we have some options.

Edmonton is going to need that extra cap space very soon. Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard are both entering the final year of their contracts, and Connor McDavid has two years left on his. Those three players alone will take up a huge portion of the cap, so the Oilers need every bit of available space they can get.

On the other side of the coin, the extra cap space also allows the Oilers to make some moves before or during the season, and because it's essentially a Stanley Cup or bust in northern Alberta, that freedom could go a long way.

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