Both teams probably accept, and you did it all under the salary cap without dumping Campbell. I'm impressed! I don't see Holland accomplishing something this impressive, though.

Some bad history between Holland and Mrazek from their Detroit days. 😬

Other option is Fleury, for probably the same price and still under the cap. Chance at a cup > old grudge though for Mrazek maybe?

IIRC Mrazek was a RFA and Kenny gave him a lowball offer.

At least in Mrazek's mind it was.

Mrazek took him to Arbitration and they ended up settling on a 2 year deal at the last minute.

Holland used his press dummies like St. James, Khan and Kulfan to throw dirt on Mrazek any time he could.

Kenny loved his son Jimmy Howard because he'd sign any offer Kenny gave him.

Kenny even exposed Mrazek in the Vegas expansion draft but McPhee took Tommy Nosek instead.

Kenny ended up trading Mrazek to Philly for basically nothing before the trade deadline.

If we're not going to use him we should also dump Brown in one of those trades.
Wouldn't cost the team we send him to pretty much anything and would save us ~3.2M next season.

Brown hit his 10 games with Edmonton, so they have to pay his bonus even if he gets traded. So no point trading him imo, just send him down and clear his cap

Hawks probably accept assuming they don't re-sign Mrazak to an extension first.

I searched into it and this is my interpretation, may be wrong but nothing indicates that I am.

If we trade Brown we are moving his contract, Performance Bonus as well, with it. We have to pay next year since we're cap strapped and Browns PB is under 7.5% of total cap, however a team like CHI or NSH has cap space and can allow Browns BP to hit their cap this season. We also pay a performance bonus essentially whenever meaning EDM can pay the full 3.225M owed in actual dollars.

Essentially if we included him in the CHI trade at deadline, EDM would free up ~3.2M next season as Browns Bonus would move with him.
Chicago would have the cap hit of 4M for Brown this season, but they don't care since they have ~17M in cap space right now.
EDM would still pay a majority of Browns contract, ~3.75M and Chicago .25M (if done at deadline). Maybe we toss in a 6th as well to take him but it's a HUGE benefit to us to move Brown at deadline.

Your interpretation of Brown's performance bonus is accurate. What not accurate is your take on what it takes to move Brown off the roster. No GM in the league is going to "gift" the Oilers $3.25m in cap space next season for a 6th. Moving Brown will cost at least a 3rd - maybe even a 2nd. Freeing up cap space in this league doesn't come for free.

I pretty strongly disagree, there is almost no cost for teams with cap space to take Brown and the most realistic thing that would happen is he gets included in a deal for essentially nothing.
It doesn't come free, but GM's work to make their team better and if that means they take on a literal 0 cost player to them they're not gunna squash a deal over it.
On his own as a straight dump, yea maybe it costs a 3rd but if it's worked into a larger move that helps both teams it'd be pretty dumb to say no because it'll save EDM cap space when they aren't competing against them.

Well I disagree pretty strongly that Brown is going to do ANYTHING to make any team better. He's been a total flop this season.

Yes, the salary cost is minimal, but why would an opposing GM just take Brown from the Oilers for nothing and give the Oilers $3.25m in cap space? Sticking the Oilers w/ that carry over for next season makes them a weaker opponent. That's at least one pretty good player the Oilers can't afford.

I'm 100% certain the Hawks wouldn't take Brown in that Mrazak trade without the Oilers adding a 3rd or an equivalent prospect.

Agree to disagree I guess, most GMs try to make deals that help their situation and have understandings of the small costs that come with trades to contenders (Ex. retaining or taking back some dead cap to make a deal).
Dubas is also a GM that does exactly that, not unrealistic to assume he would again to gain picks.