Oilers GM Shuts Down Blues Narrative

The St. Louis Blues pulled off a rare move this summer to sign two Edmonton Oilers restricted free agents, but there's no hard feelings between the team's general managers.

Jun 28, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Adam Jiricek is selected by the St. Louis Blues with the 16th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft at The Sphere. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The St. Louis Blues made NHL history by successfully offering and signing restricted free agents Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway to offer sheets. The offer sheet is a rarity in the league, but the Blues managed to steal two players away from the Edmonton Oilers. Since the signings became official, there have been repeated speculation on what led the Blues to make this decision.

For the Blues and their general manager Doug Armstrong, the decision seems a lot simpler than many want to believe. The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun recently spoke with Armstrong and Oilers' GM Stan Bowman about the eventful summer and to get the executives' perspectives. Armstrong seemed eager to put to rest any notion that personal reasons played a part in the Blues' moves.

"People want to add a narrative to a story to make it more compelling," Armstrong said. "The reality is I work for the Blues, and I do what's best for the Blues, and I would have done that regardless."

In reality, Armstrong and Bowman have a solid working relationship. While the Oilers weren't thrilled to lose two young and promising players, the priority for them was to work out an extension with superstar Leon Draisaitl. Because of that, the deals the Blues proposed were too rich for Edmonton's liking. There's no hard feelings because of that. Armstrong said so himself while speaking to LeBrun.

"Yeah, Stan and I have a good relationship," he said. "We bumped each other when he was in Chicago. Our teams played a lot. We're friends, and it's just part of the business that you understand going in. Stan and I talked about it. He understood I was trying to do what was best for the Blues, and he made the best decision for the Oilers."

Now, it will be a waiting game to see which side won this transaction. If Holloway or Broberg become important contributors in St. Louis, Armstrong will look like a genius. If either fails to live up to their contracts, Bowman might be the one looking like a genius. Either way, there are no hard feelings between the two GM's, it's just business.

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