Edmonton Oilers
McDavid Sends a Message to Holloway After Offer Sheet Fallout
There’s a theory going around that Connor McDavid took a few extra shots at Dylan Holloway when the Oilers took on the Blues. Why?
It appears Connor McDavid isn’t letting Dylan Holloway off the hook for leaving Edmonton. During the Oilers’ matchup against the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday, McDavid’s interactions—or lack thereof—with his former teammate fueled speculation that he remains frustrated with Holloway’s decision to sign an offer sheet last summer.
“Would bet a decent amount 97 hates that Holloway accepted the offer sheet. Here’s why. I saw him run him and face wash him in Edm. Tonight I saw a scrum where Holloway tried to talk to him as they parted and 97 looked disgusted. He chirped him after the 2-2 goal.”
While this seems like a stretch to suggest McDavid was “disgusted” with Holloway, there might be some truth to the fact these once very close friends aren’t as close as they used to be.
If McDavid is ignoring Holloway during a post-whistle scrum or walking away when the Blues forward tries to speak to him, that’s a far cry from where things were when Holloway was a big part of McDavid’s wedding this summer. And, if McDavid chirped Holloway after the second goal, maybe it’s a bit more than getting into the game. Perhaps McDavid was sending a message about the consequences of his departure via an offer sheet, going to the Blues when he could have done great things with the Oilers.
The icing on the cake was when McDavid embarrassed both Holloway and former Oiler Philip Broberg with a highlight-reel play in overtime. He walked back players, dishing the puck off to Connor Brown with a beauty pass to give Edmonton the comeback win.
If there was a better way to show a player the consequences of leaving a Cup-contending team, that might have been it.
Did Holloway Bail on the Oilers? He Did Sign For ‘Greener Pastures’ in St. Louis
Holloway’s offer sheet from St. Louis was a modest two-year, $2.3 million deal—not a massive contract by NHL standards. it’s for this reason he gets a bit more flack than Broberg, who received a massive raise as part of his offer sheet.
Arguments for Holloway was that the Oilers prioritized other signings and left him little choice. That may or may not be how Holloway saw things. Some reports suggest McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had made it clear Holloway was in Edmonton’s long-term plans. They didn’t want him to leave. Still, the young forward still chose to sign the deal. Whether he thought the Oilers would match or not isn’t clear. They didn’t. Now, it’s too late.
It’s not all bad news for Holloway. He is getting more ice time in St. Louis and he’s having a break-out season. Perhaps that’s what McDavid is upset about (if he’s upset). Seeing that Holloway could have had that kind of production with the Oilers stings. That he left behind a golden opportunity to play alongside McDavid on a championship-caliber team is only made worse because Holloway could have really helped the Oilers contend again.
Tuesday’s game seemed to indicate McDavid isn’t forgetting, and he’s making sure Holloway knows it.
Next: Evan Bouchard’s Alarming Turnover Rate for Oilers Sparks Debate
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