So it seems like the Calgary Flames almost weaponized their cap space and handed out a couple of offer sheets to a pair of players from their most bitter rival over the summer.
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According to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBW__YRSZUM&amp;ab_channel=DailyFaceoff">Jeff Marek on his debut episode of The Sheet</a>, the Flames were one of three teams who wanted to offer sheet Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, at the time restricted free agents with the Edmonton Oilers:
<blockquote>“These two were always going as a package. This was going to be double offer sheet. Broberg and Holloway were going together, this was going to happen. There were three teams who were prepared to do offer sheets for these players. St. Louis was the preferred candidate, I believe, for both these players, but as we all know, St. Louis had a hard time getting that second round pick back and they ended up getting it from the Pittsburgh Penguins, then they had the compensation and they could check all the boxes and get both players.
But the interesting thing in all of this — two other teams were interested in trying to get all the necessary ingredients to offer sheet Broberg and Holloway. It sound very much like one of the teams was the Calgary Flames… I still don’t know who the third team was. That may remain a white whale for me, we shall see. It sounds very much like Calgary was one of the other teams in pursuit of the offer sheet for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway.
When you think the Battle of Alberta, when you think about the nastiness and the vitriol between these two teams, my mind right away goes back to the days of the ‘80s when they would compete and one team would win the Stanley Cup one year, and the other team the next. We think about those games and they’d take about four hours to play. You spend more time picking up gloves than announcing the goals, and these are the days of Dave Semenko and Marty McSorely and Don Jackson and Tim Hunter and Jim Peplinski and everybody else going at it on the ice. Legitimate hatred between Calgary and Edmonton, the fan base didn’t get along, fights in the stands, et cetra. And we fast forward to the summer of 2024, and that feud could’ve been played out with offer sheets. Just consider what that would’ve done to the Battle of Alberta, and if there would’ve been anymore pressure on Edmonton to try and maneouver their player personnell in order to match the offer, knowing that it was the provincial rival.”</blockquote>
In the end, both Holloway and Broberg ended up signing with the St. Louis Blues, with the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions giving the Oilers a 2025 second and third-round pick in compensation. The Oilers had a chance to match the offer sheet by moving Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks but elected to receive defence prospect Paul Fischer and a 2028 third-round pick from the Blues not to match.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oilers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oilers</a> have announced they will not match contract offer sheets presented by St. Louis to Dylan Holloway &amp; Philip Broberg.
In a separate transaction, Edmonton acquires a 2028 third-round pick &amp; the rights to defenceman Paul Fischer from the Blues.
Full details ⬇️
&mdash; Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) <a href="https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1825889303844557304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Holloway and Broberg both got off to great starts with the Blues and the Oilers could’ve really used both of them. Broberg, a defenceman, has two goals and nine points in 13 games this season for a +5, but missed some time due to a leg injury. He was activated from the Injured Reserve on Saturday.
As for Holloway, a Calgary native, he has seven goals and 13 points in 25 games, shattering career highs in both regards in fewer games. The forward is tied for second in goals and his 13 points are the third most on the Blues. Almost like he and Broberg just needed an opportunity to shine.
The Blues themselves aren’t off to a great start, as they have an 11-12-2 record with 26 points, four points out of the final Wild Card spot. It’s also been a rough season for the Oilers compared to last, as they are 13-9-2 with 28 points, currently sitting in the first Wild Card position.
Ironically, the Flames sit between the Oilers and the Blues, as they occupy the final Wild Card spot with a 12-9-4 record with 28 points. Had the Flames offer-sheeted Holloway and Broberg, that would’ve reignited the Battle of Alberta once again.
However, with both teams sniffing the post-season a quarter of the season in, it’s entirely possible (albeit unlikely) that the two teams meet at some point if they each get in.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

So it seems like the Calgary Flames almost weaponized their cap space and handed out a couple of offer sheets to a pair of players from their most bitter rival over the summer.
<div class="bam-inline-promotion-block" data-max-length="2" data-placement-id="2109" data-context="web-content-promocard" data-property-id="328"></div>
According to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBW__YRSZUM&amp;ab_channel=DailyFaceoff">Jeff Marek on his debut episode of The Sheet</a>, the Flames were one of three teams who wanted to offer sheet Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, at the time restricted free agents with the Edmonton Oilers:
<blockquote>“These two were always going as a package. This was going to be double offer sheet. Broberg and Holloway were going together, this was going to happen. There were three teams who were prepared to do offer sheets for these players. St. Louis was the preferred candidate, I believe, for both these players, but as we all know, St. Louis had a hard time getting that second round pick back and they ended up getting it from the Pittsburgh Penguins, then they had the compensation and they could check all the boxes and get both players.

But the interesting thing in all of this — two other teams were interested in trying to get all the necessary ingredients to offer sheet Broberg and Holloway. It sound very much like one of the teams was the Calgary Flames… I still don’t know who the third team was. That may remain a white whale for me, we shall see. It sounds very much like Calgary was one of the other teams in pursuit of the offer sheet for Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway.

When you think the Battle of Alberta, when you think about the nastiness and the vitriol between these two teams, my mind right away goes back to the days of the ‘80s when they would compete and one team would win the Stanley Cup one year, and the other team the next. We think about those games and they’d take about four hours to play. You spend more time picking up gloves than announcing the goals, and these are the days of Dave Semenko and Marty McSorely and Don Jackson and Tim Hunter and Jim Peplinski and everybody else going at it on the ice. Legitimate hatred between Calgary and Edmonton, the fan base didn’t get along, fights in the stands, et cetra. And we fast forward to the summer of 2024, and that feud could’ve been played out with offer sheets. Just consider what that would’ve done to the Battle of Alberta, and if there would’ve been anymore pressure on Edmonton to try and maneouver their player personnell in order to match the offer, knowing that it was the provincial rival.”</blockquote>
In the end, both Holloway and Broberg ended up signing with the St. Louis Blues, with the 2019 Stanley Cup Champions giving the Oilers a 2025 second and third-round pick in compensation. The Oilers had a chance to match the offer sheet by moving Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks but elected to receive defence prospect Paul Fischer and a 2028 third-round pick from the Blues not to match.

https://twitter.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1825889303844557304

Holloway and Broberg both got off to great starts with the Blues and the Oilers could’ve really used both of them. Broberg, a defenceman, has two goals and nine points in 13 games this season for a +5, but missed some time due to a leg injury. He was activated from the Injured Reserve on Saturday.

As for Holloway, a Calgary native, he has seven goals and 13 points in 25 games, shattering career highs in both regards in fewer games. The forward is tied for second in goals and his 13 points are the third most on the Blues. Almost like he and Broberg just needed an opportunity to shine.

The Blues themselves aren’t off to a great start, as they have an 11-12-2 record with 26 points, four points out of the final Wild Card spot. It’s also been a rough season for the Oilers compared to last, as they are 13-9-2 with 28 points, currently sitting in the first Wild Card position.

Ironically, the Flames sit between the Oilers and the Blues, as they occupy the final Wild Card spot with a 12-9-4 record with 28 points. Had the Flames offer-sheeted Holloway and Broberg, that would’ve reignited the Battle of Alberta once again.

However, with both teams sniffing the post-season a quarter of the season in, it’s entirely possible (albeit unlikely) that the two teams meet at some point if they each get in.

Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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