August has proved to be a relatively busy month around the National Hockey League, meaning it’s a great time for another edition of NHL Notebook: the column here at CanucksArmy where we dive into news and notes from around the NHL, oftentimes through a Vancouver Canucks-tinted lens.
Oilers don’t match Blues’ offer sheets for Holloway and Broberg
The St. Louis Blues signed defenceman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway to two-year contracts on Tuesday after the Edmonton Oilers declined to match the offer sheets.
Facing a salary cap crunch, the Oilers opted not to retain their two promising young players, despite creating some financial flexibility earlier in the week by trading veteran defenceman Cody Ceci to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for the younger Ty Emberson. The Oilers had one week to decide whether to match the offer sheets after St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong made the bold move, a strategy that has become increasingly rare in the NHL over the past decade.
Broberg, 23, was a standout performer for the Oilers during their run to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final, making a significant impact after joining the lineup during the Western Conference Final. Holloway, 22, contributed five goals in the playoffs.
The Blues have accelerated their rebuild by adding two NHL-experienced youngsters, while the Oilers have freed up significant cap space. This move could be advantageous for Edmonton, giving them more flexibility ahead of the trade deadline and in negotiating long-term contracts for key players like Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard, whose deals will need to be addressed by next summer.
Offer sheets have become a rarity in the league, with the last instance occurring in 2021 when Jesperi Kotkaniemi signed with the Carolina Hurricanes. That move came two years after the Montreal Canadiens attempted to acquire Sebastian Aho from the Hurricanes using the same method. Before Broberg, Holloway, and Kotkaniemi, the last offer sheet not matched was Dustin Penner’s in 2007.
In addition to the offer sheet decisions, the Blues and Oilers completed a separate transaction, with Edmonton acquiring the rights to defenceman Paul Fisher and a 2028 third-round draft pick in exchange for future considerations. Fisher, standing 6-foot-1 and 201 pounds, remains unsigned and was selected 138th overall in the 2023 draft.
Flyers seek contract termination of Ryan Johansen amid allegations of material breach
The Philadelphia Flyers have taken steps to terminate Ryan Johansen’s contract, despite the forward never having played a game for the team. On Tuesday, the Flyers announced their intent to end the contract, citing a material breach—a serious contractual violation that undermines the agreement’s core purpose.
A material breach is defined as an action that substantially defeats the purpose of the contract or deprives the other party of a reasonably expected benefit. In simpler terms, it suggests that one party failed to uphold their end of the deal, negatively impacting the other and justifying contract termination.
Johansen, a seasoned NHL forward, was acquired from the Colorado Avalanche in March in exchange for defenceman Sean Walker and a first-round draft pick. However, since the trade, Johansen has claimed a hip injury has kept him sidelined, leaving the Flyers without the services of the player they brought in to bolster their roster.
Flyers General Manager Daniel Brière expressed frustration with the situation in an interview back in April, stating that Johansen did not believe he could play hockey at that time. Brière emphasized that the team’s focus was on getting Johansen healthy, even though there was uncertainty about whether he would ever suit up for the organization.
“All I can tell you is I don’t expect him to be back,” Brière noted. “We’re dealing on the medical side with him… The thing for him is getting him back to be able to play at this time. He doesn’t think he can play hockey.”
As the Flyers move forward with their attempt to terminate Johansen’s contract, Friedman also reported that Johansen is expected to file a grievance in response to the termination. The Flyers, however, have made it clear that they are prepared to present their case if required.
For now, the Flyers are focused on resolving the matter and moving forward, while Johansen’s future in the NHL remains uncertain.