Welcome to NHL Rumours! Last August, the St. Louis Blues turned heads when they tendered offer sheets to Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg, bringing them to the Blues where they each enjoyed a career-best season. For just the third and fourth time in the salary cap era, a player signed an offer sheet and left their team. Today’s rumour looks at the Blues, who may receive a test of their own medicine this summer when it comes to offer sheets.
NHL Rumours
St. Louis Blues and Offer Sheets
Rumour: Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff published a list of players who could receive offer sheets this summer. One of the players listed was Blues goalie Joel Hofer. Hofer has had two seasons in the NHL serving as a backup to Jordan Binnington. He has played extremely well and has formed a strong tandem with Binnington. As a restricted free agent this summer, a team could pry Hofer away from the Blues if they tender him an offer sheet. Seravalli believes a team may be interested in Hofer, giving the Blues a taste of their own medicine in the process.
Analysis: Servalli did mention it that is rare for a goaltender to receive an offer sheet. However, this time could be different. Hofer has played in some big games for the Blues the last two seasons. Head coaches Drew Bannister (2023) and Jim Montgomery (2024) did not hesitate to give the nod to Hofer, even when the Blues were fighting for a playoff spot. His career .907 save percentage suggest Hofer is the real deal and may only get better.
What really makes this rumour interesting the number of teams who may be interested in Hofer. Only nine teams do not possess the appropriate draft picks to compensate the Blues should they tender Hofer. As a result, there are 23 teams who could tender an offer sheet.
Team Who May Go After Hofer
The Blues took Holloway and Broberg away from the Edmonton Oilers last August. The Oilers may be looking for revenge this summer. Hofer to the Oilers makes a ton of sense. The Oilers are having struggles with their goaltending at the moment. Despite getting the team to the Stanley Cup Final in consecutive seasons, Stuart Skinner has not been a consistent goalie. He was pulled from the starting role in round one and could lose it again in the Final. Calvin Pickard, meanwhile, has played well for the Oilers, but is 33-years old and is an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The Oilers may roll the dice that Hofer can become a number one and tender him an offer sheet. Hofer has not had a full-time starting role in his young career, but the potential is there. The Oilers, or any team who tenders an offer sheet, may think it is worth the gamble to bring him on at $4.8 million for two seasons.
Free Agency is Not Impressive
What makes the idea of Hofer being tendered an offer sheet seem possible is the free agent class of goaltenders this summer. The list of available goalies in free agency is not impressive by any means. There are goalies who can fill in the backup position well, and even some who start. However, if a team is looking to move the needle at the goaltending position, they will not be able to do so in free agency.
While only two goalies have been tendered an offer sheet in NHL history, that could change this summer. Hofer may be what a team is looking for. He is young and has a strong resume so far. He is not a guaranteed thing, but may be worth the risk to a team.
Should the Blues be Worried?
Losing Hofer would not be the worse thing that can happen to the team. However, some of the team’s best regular seasons in years past have come with a strong duo between the pipes.
On the other hand, is it smart for Armstrong to try to and counter an offer sheet or try to overpay to extend Hofer before a team gets a chance to tender? Extending Hofer now may changes the team’s off-season plans. Armstrong and Alexander Steen have a big choice to make. Do they look to lock up Hofer now? Or, do they roll the dice in free agency?
Main Photo: Jeff Curry- Imagn Images
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