NHL Rumors: San Jose Sharks, and the Edmonton Oilers

The San Jose Sharks could help out the Edmonton Oilers

Sheng Peng: Could the San Jose Sharks take advantage of the Edmonton Oilers salary cap and offer sheet situation?

Oilers defenseman Cody Ceci has a year left at $3.25 million and Brett Kulak has two years left at $2.75 million, and neither has any trade protection. Will the Oilers feel forced to move one with a high draft pick attached?

Sources have said the Sharks have been looking to add a veteran right-handed defenseman. The Sharks might target Ceci over Kulak. Ceci has less term than Kulak, and the Oilers might be willing to give up more to move Kulak’s contract.

Will the Edmonton Oilers have to pick one or the other?

Jonathan Willis: Philip Broberg and Dylan Holloway signing offer sheets with the St. Louis Blues but the Edmonton Oilers in a very tough spot.

If they’re able to trade Cody Ceci for nothing and put Evander Kane on the LTIR, they will have room, but those are big ifs.

Regardless, they lost the cost control of Broberg and Holloway.

Jim Matheson: Broberg may be more important to keep over Holloway as he’s an ‘estimable LD.’ Fellow left-handed defenseman Mattias Ekholm is 34 years old and has two years left on his contract.

Holloway is versatile and has speed, but Matt Savoie could take his spot.

Jonathan Willis: The case to match for Dylan Holloway and not for Philip Broberg.

“Basically: LD are fairly common, EDM has a bunch of good ones already, and the cap math gets much easier – to the point where you can manage a cap-compliant roster even with Kane and without trades.

I’m not sure I’m convinced by that case. I believe Broberg is going to be a good NHLer for a long time. Beyond that, if Broberg can hold his own on the right side, that changes the math. Details on a hypothetical Ceci/Kulak trade might change it too.

Having been painted into this corner, however, all of Edmonton’s options are sub-optimal. This might well be the least bad of the various paths.”

Doubtful the Blues would have offer sheeted if Holland was the GM and likely little retaliation

Jim Matheson: “Let me join the chorus. I know Blues Doug Armstrong wants to win but one of his best friends and his golf buddy is Ken Holland. I just don’t believe he would have handcuffed Holland like this with two offer sheets on Broberg and Holloway if Holland was still Oiler GM”

Shawn Simpson: “With many offer sheets we often see retaliation like the debacle between Montreal and Carolina. I’m sure St. Louis realizes Edmonton won’t be in that position for many years to come.”