New Capitals GM should implement offer sheets during his tenure
Despite not happening a lot more in the NHL, there are some famous (or infamous) offer sheets that occurred in the past. Shea Weber signed a 14-year offer sheet worth $110 million with the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 offseason. The Nashville Predators matched the offer. Sergei Fedorov signed one with the Carolina Hurricanes back in 1998 that was six years and $38 million. The Detroit Red Wings matched that offer sheet. More recently, the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina exchanged offer sheets between 2019 and 2021. The Canadiens first signed forward Sebastian Aho to an offer sheet worth five years and $42.27 million. Carolina matched the deal. Two years later, in 2021, the Hurricanes signed Jesperi Kotkaniemi to a one-year offer sheet for $6.1 million. Montreal decided not to match that, and Kotkaniemi joined Carolina.
Today, the St. Louis Blues announced they have signed two restricted free agents who are part of the Edmonton Oilers in defenseman Philip Broberg and forward Dylan Holloway. The Blues signed Broberg to a two-year deal worth $9.16 million. Holloway, meanwhile, signed a contract for two years and $4.58 million. The Oilers have a week to match both offers. They are two big moves by Blues general manager Doug Armstrong, and transactions that should be done more often around the league.
The Washington Capitals will most likely not make any offer sheet the rest of this offseason. Brian MacLellan already added quite a bit to the Capitals roster for 2024-25. This included Pierre-Luc Dubois, Andrew Mangiapane, Jakob Chychrun, Matt Roy, and Logan Thompson. New GM Chris Patrick should utilize the offer sheet option starting in 2025 though. Any GM has the option to make offers to restricted free agents. It is entirely legal to do. It should not be frowned upon to try and make the best moves available to the team being managed. Patrick could even make a few of them, like how Armstrong did two today, to more normalize offer sheets around the NHL.
The Capitals’ History with Offer Sheets
The only time that the Washington Capitals ever made an offer sheet to anyone was for Edmonton Oilers defenseman Dave Manson. The Capitals signed Manson to an offer sheet of three years back in 1992. Edmonton matched it and he stayed with the Alberta-based team. Washington has also lost players with offer sheets. Defenseman Scott Stevens signed an offer sheet with the Blues in 1990. The deal was four years long. He went to St. Louis for one campaign of that, while Washington received five first-round draft picks. Two of those selections became Sergei Gonchar and Brendan Witt.
Another couple players on the Capitals who signed offer sheets to possibly play elsewhere included Kelly Miller. He signed an offer from the San Jose Sharks in 1993 for two years. Washington matched the offer and Miller stayed in D.C. Also, goalie Ron Tugnutt inked a deal with the Ottawa Senators in 1996. The Capitals did not match it and he left for the Senators.
Chris Patrick Should Incorporate Offer Sheets
The Capitals only ever signed Dave Manson to an offer sheet in their history. Offer sheets are a practice that many general managers stay away from. There is this idea that GMs who participate in offer sheeting other teams’ RFAs will be looked down upon or that no one will want to make trades with them in the future. It is as if offer sheets might burn bridges between GMs. In my opinion, more GMs should be involved in trying to lure other RFAs to their teams. The job of a GM is to put together the best lineup possible. If an organization has the opportunity to land a big name with an offer sheet, they should take advantage because that is a GM doing their job.
Chris Patrick became the new Washington Capitals GM on July 8. (Washington Capitals)
Chris Patrick should consider offer sheets next offseason and for however long he manages the Capitals. I do not suggest doing them for the sake of it, but if there is a player who is an RFA and is highly regarded among Washington’s management, they should make an offer. All 32 managers should be doing this in the league. Blues GM Armstrong signed Holloway and Broberg, because he thought both talents would make the Blues better. He put his team’s needs first, even if it strains his relationship with the Oilers.
Some time will pass before Capitals fans see what Chris Patrick does with the roster. When July 2025 rolls around, time will tell if offer sheets are on the table for him and the club.
