Oilers Stung With The Bittersweet Success Of Philip Broberg
EDMONTON -- Imagine that.
A blue-chip prospect is finally blossoming because he is given the ice time and deployment he needs to be the player everyone thought he was.
The Edmonton Oilers could learn a thing or two from this. Especially considering that the prospect in question is none other than Philip Broberg.
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Broberg was the first draft selection former Oilers GM Ken Holland made during his tenure in Edmonton. He was a big, rangy defender with all of the tools needed to be a successful two-way NHL defenseman.
Five years and one offer sheet later, Broberg is enjoying modest success with the St. Louis Blues. In part because they allow him the opportunity that his pedigree and talent permit him.
Imagine that.
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Admittedly, it is very early to call this a missed opportunity for the Oilers. There is still plenty of season left for one of Troy Stecher or Ty Emberson to rise to the heights that exceed Broberg's current trajectory.
But the early returns on a big gamble have paid huge dividends for the Blues, and that has to be bittersweet for the Oilers.
Broberg has played 85% of his even-strength ice time with veteran Justin Faulk. They have out-scored their opposition 2-0 while the pair are on the ice. Alternatively, they are being out-chanced 50-59.
The Blues are 2-2-0 to kick off the 2024-25 season, partly because of the positive impact on Broberg. He currently has four points in those four games while playing 18:42 a night.
Broberg primarily plays even-strength minutes. He averages the fourth-most minutes a game for the Blues behind Colton Parayko, Nick Leddy, and Faulk. His 17:48 of five-on-five ice time would have him ranked third on the Oilers, behind Evan Bouchard, Mattias Ekholm, and Connor McDavid.
It appears that all Broberg needed was a coaching staff willing to put their money where their mouth was and give him the minutes required to succeed. Ironically, this was exactly the plan that the Oilers had for him until a 2-9-1 start created a panic in the organization, and they fired every pre-conceived plan into the sun to get back on track.
Like it or not, Oilers fans, Broberg might not have been worth the high ticket at the moment of the offer sheet, but things are turning around quickly for the Swedish blueliner. All he needed was a coaching staff to show confidence in him, at least enough confidence to play him more than 11 minutes a night.
Imagine that.
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