December 19, 2023 | 7:45pm ET
TheFourthPeriod.com
COULD THE OILERS PACKAGE BROBERG WITH CAMPBELL?
Philip Broberg, defenceman
The Edmonton Oilers are looking for ways to improve their hockey club and create salary cap space. As reported earlier this month, the club has been dangling defenceman Philip Broberg as trade bait, but swapping him out for another player may not necessarily be the end result.
As TFP’s David Pagnotta noted on “Hello Hockey” with Tom Gazzola and Shawn Belle on Edmonton Sports Talk 1440 AM in Edmonton on Saturday, the Oilers would like to move goaltender Jack Campbell and his $5 million cap hit, but will need to add a first-round pick and more, possibly a player, to convince another team to acquire Campbell at his full contract.
Campbell, who is currently playing in the AHL, is in the second season of a five-year, $25 million contract and owns a 10-team no-trade list as part of his deal.
Broberg’s agent Darren Ferris has been assisting in trying to facilitate a move, and according to TSN’s Darren Dreger, it’s possible Broberg is included in a deal involving Campbell.
Broberg, whose entry-level contract expires after this season, is back in the AHL with the Oilers’ affiliate.
“He wants to be back into the NHL, that’s not likely in Edmonton unless there is an injury, so trade seems the most likely,” Dreger said during Tuesday’s edition of Insider Trading on TSN. “But here’s an interesting twist, maybe it’s not just Philip Broberg for an asset coming back to the Edmonton Oilers, maybe Broberg becomes the sweetener so they could also move Jack Campbell’s contract to free up a little bit of cap space.”
The Oilers are currently in LTIR overage space with respect to the salary cap and any major move would almost certainly result in a roster player being moved. Edmonton created some cap flexibility when Campbell as sent down to the AHL, as he currently has a cap hit of $3.85 million instead of his full $5 million hit.
Oilers GM Ken Holland has been exploring the trade market for several assets, including a goaltender, a physical top-four defenceman and a third-line centre since November.