Oilers may be vulnerable to another offer sheet, contract talks stalled after defender fires agent
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The Edmonton Oilers already lost two players to offer sheets last season, and these season they'll have two more quality RFAs exposed to offer sheets: Evan Bouchard and Ty Emberson.
Evan Bouchard has had a tough season, but the organization is committed to keeping its homegrown star defenceman. They'll want to keep Emberson too, but contract talks appear to have stalled.
Oilers analyst highlights Bouchard and Emberson as offer sheet candidates
In a recent piece for the Athletic, Oilers analyst Allan Mitchell called the team vulnerable to offer sheets this season on both young defenceman. For an older team like Edmonton, it needs to be a priority to get them signed.
Bouchard is eligible for an offer sheet, and the team is vulnerable in that area. The huge increase in cap dollars would seem to reduce the risk of an unmatchable offer for Bouchard, but getting him under contract before the window opens for offer sheets would be a wise move.
It behooves Bowman to sign Emberson and set a new course with the handling of young players Emberson is arbitration eligible, so the Oilers will sign him before the fall.
- Allan Mitchell
It behooves Bowman to sign Emberson and set a new course with the handling of young players Emberson is arbitration eligible, so the Oilers will sign him before the fall.
- Allan Mitchell
Evan Bouchard has been a highly debated player for much of his time with the Oilers, but this season his reduced scoring and costly turnovers have been a sore spot. Previously Bouchard could've easily earned up to $10M, but the Oilers may not be comfortable with that amount now.
Perhaps the Oilers try to squeeze Bouchard in contract negotiations, but they will be opening themselves to the risk of another team - with a major increase in cap space - taking a big swing at a young, elite right shot defenceman.
Contract talks appear to have stalled with Emberson
Earlier this season NHL insiders speculated that Emberson may have been nearing an agreement with the Oilers, and soon after, he fired his agent.
There seems to have been a stall in contract negotiations, also possibly related to the increase in salary cap. The Oilers may have tried to get Emberson locked up for 3 years at a team friendly-number, but with an increasing cap, Emberson deserves more. With arbitration, he will eventually get signed - to a one year deal.
Hopefully the Oilers can correct the course with these two young RFAs and learn from the mistakes of losing Broberg and Holloway. The Oilers desperately need youth, and need these players on their blueline.
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