NHL analyst claims that Edmonton made a huge mistake with the Blues' offer sheets
Not long after their offer sheets deal with the St. Louis Blues, NHL analyst Briann Lawton claims the Edmonton Oilers made a huge mistake letting go of Philip Broberg.
The Edmonton Oilers have shaped up to be one of the most-feared teams in the NHL, fronted by several star players who lost in Game 7 of the last Stanley Cup Finals after performing the playoffs injured. Yet, the team was met with a trick situation when the St. Louis Blues made offer sheets for Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg. After serious deliberation, Stan Bowman decided against matching either offer sheet, allowing them to leave the team ahead of training camp. As compensation, St. Louis sent Edmonton a second and third-round pick.
Many fans were critical of this decision, but one NHL analyst in particular shared his thoughts on the gravity of the mistake. Brian Lawton, the 1983 first-overall pick and former Tampa Bay Lightning general manager, stated in a recent interview with Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now that he would have never let Philip Broberg go. He reasoned that Edmonton still needs defensive payers to protect their high-scoring power, iterating that D-men are the hardest players to acquire.
"I would never let him go. That doesn't mean Edmonton will do that. Everybody has their own opinion. I played the game. I was a forward. People always ask, ‘Why do you care so much about defense?' Especially a team like Edmonton that is so high-powered, but at the end of the day you've got to have good ‘D' to control the game. If you don't, you're dead in the water.
I find defencemen to be the hardest thing to acquire in this game, and even though the story is still unwritten on Philip Broberg, he still showed some incredible poise and progress last year, and I believe that no matter what he'll be a Top 4 D in this league."
I find defencemen to be the hardest thing to acquire in this game, and even though the story is still unwritten on Philip Broberg, he still showed some incredible poise and progress last year, and I believe that no matter what he'll be a Top 4 D in this league."
Though he is no longer playing or managing in the NHL, Brian Lawton has first-hand experience in seeing what works in supporting forwards on the ice. Hopefully, Stan Bowman is working on covering this base in the coming weeks. Otherwise, the Edmonton Oilers could have trouble performing up to last season's standards.
Source: Oilers Daily
Former NHL GM says Oilers made major mistake in offer sheet situation
Former NHL GM says Oilers made major mistake in offer sheet situation
Previously on Markerzone
| POLL | ||
AOÛT 24 | 203 ANSWERS NHL analyst claims that Edmonton made a huge mistake with the Blues' offer sheets Did the Edmonton Oilers make a mistake letting go of Philip Broberg? | ||
| Yes | 112 | 55.2 % |
| No | 91 | 44.8 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
Top 10 latest hockey stories
