The summer of 2024 has been a chaotic one for Edmonton Oilers fans, to say the least.
Game 7 ended in defeat, leaving the city in despair after a great spring of watching their beloved Oilers come so close. Joy was restored after an amazing start to free agency with the signings of Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, followed by the return of Mattias Janmark, Adam Henrique, and Connor Brown. Things couldn’t be better in Edmonton with the hopeful spirit brought back.
Jeff Jackson was the man behind all these moves. During Jackson’s temporary tenure as general manager, he set the standard for what the next person in charge should be doing. It was a high bar to set, but one that was needed after years of wanting more.
Most assumed Stan Bowman’s most significant challenge would be signing Leon Draisaitl to an extension. The trade deadline was expected to be his next task as the Oilers pushed for that sixth Stanley Cup. However, he was tested over the past week or so when the St. Louis Blues tendered offer sheets to Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway. It was a challenge where nobody really knew the right or wrong answer.
Ultimately, Bowman and his staff allowed Broberg and Holloway to walk, preventing any further overpayments on the roster. However, he didn’t just sit still. The Oilers acquired suitable and cheaper replacements for the two former first-round picks. First, it was Vasily Podkolzin from the Vancouver Canucks. Later on that Sunday, Cody Ceci was moved to the San Jose Sharks for defenceman Ty Emberson. Moving out Ceci also freed up cap space, making the Oilers cap-compliant.
Taking a chance on two players under 25 years old isn’t a bad plan. Who knows if they’ll pan out, but this might not have happened under the previous regime in years past.
There’s already a relationship between Emberson and head coach Kris Knoblauch. The two were with the Hartford Wolf Pack together during the 2022-23 season, which was a big year for Emberson. He was named the AHL Eastern Conference’s Best Defensive Defenceman. In the official press release from the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) in 2023, they said, “His defensive abilities were on full display, finishing second on the team with a +17 rating. He also contributed seven goals and 20 assists in 69 games this season.”
Paul Fischer is another sneaky piece thrown into the chaos of the offer sheet saga. He’s a former fifth-round pick of the St. Louis Blues in 2023, currently playing at Notre Dame in the NCAA. Fischer has been a consistent selection for Team USA, playing in their development program for the past two years while also participating in the U18 World Championships in Helsinki, Finland, last April. Steven Ellis also hinted at his chance of making the World Juniors roster.
During his press conference on Tuesday, Bowman gave details on Fischer, stating injuries prevented him from going higher in his draft year. The Oilers GM went on to say that he’s known Fischer from his time in Chicago and has seen him play hundreds of games over the years. Perhaps that’s an indication Fischer could sign in Edmonton someday, which not all Americans want to do.
We’ve all judged Bowman on his hockey decisions in the past, and hopefully, we don’t see anything equivalent to the Artemi Panarin trade again. However, what we’ve seen in the last week is a general manager looking out for the organization’s best interests. There’s no doubt Broberg and Holloway are talented players, but matching the offers might’ve hindered the money available to spend on Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard.
The team still needs improvements, especially on the blueline, but they don’t have to be at their best today. Let’s not forget this team made it to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final after being 31st in the league early in the season.
