Report: Teams Placing Extra Price Tag on Oilers in any Kulak/Ceci Talks

The Edmonton Oilers are quickly running out of time to address their Philip Broberg/Dylan Holloway Offer Sheet conundrum. Just a few days remain for them to clear out some cap space, and we all know that defensemen Cody Ceci and Brett Kulak are the contracts the Oilers are trying to trade to make it happen.

According to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia, there are teams with some interest in the pair, but these teams know the Oilers are in a pickle, and they will be putting the squeeze on. Teams aren't just going to take those contracts off Edmonton's hands for nothing, they're demanding draft assets as well.

The Oilers are going to pay dearly one way or another for allowing Broberg and Holloway to get offer sheets. They’re either going to overpay one or both players next season, or they’ll have to cough up a high draft pick or two to get money off the books.

It's tough at this time of year for teams to make moves like this, as rosters are more or less set, just a few weeks out from training camp. So, as Garrioch notes, in addition to unloading Ceci and/or Kulak, the Oilers will also have to pay another price. "We’re told that could be a first- or second-round pick in both scenarios because teams know they’ve got (Oilers’ new president of hockey operations Jeff) Jackson cornered," writes Garrioch.

Ceci has one year remaining on his contract with a $3.25M cap hit. Kulak, however, has two more seasons at a $2.75M cap hit.

Just four days remain for the Oilers to figure it all out, or they will lose Broberg and Holloway to the St. Louis Blues for a couple of draft picks.