Philip Broberg

September 2023 – After 46 games with the big squad last season and 23 the season before, it is time for Broberg to lock down a spot with the Oilers. The smooth-skating defender looks capable in a third-pairing role but struggles with physicality and defensive consistency while, so far to date, not bringing much to the table offensively. He needs to take a step forward this season. Jameson Ewasiuk 

June 2022 – A pick that was heavily scrutinized on draft day, Broberg was selected by the Oilers over a group of Americans that were consistently ranked higher in Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield. Edmonton opted to fill a need instead and select the big Swedish rearguard with eye catching skating and who when at the top of his game is absolutely dominant. The problem though is, could Broberg put it all together? Prior to last season there continued to be question marks as to what exactly the Oilers had in this player. Flash forward to the 2021-22 campaign as the young Swede entered the AHL as a rookie. It did not take long for the smooth skating defender to find success as he recorded seven points in his first 10 games and the. finished the season with an impressive 23 points in 31 games. Offensively, Broberg was consistent all season and never went more than two games without a point. He also suited up in 23 games for the Oilers and recorded three points in that time. His season was impressive and has seemingly gone under the radar. He is projecting and developing towards being a top three defender in the NHL. Edmonton does not exactly have the deepest defense so Broberg could potentially challenge for a spot as early as this season. It is important to note that Broberg is still only 20-years-old so do not be afraid to invest in this player. Jameson Ewasiuk

October 2020 – After a bit of a lackluster 2019-2020 season, Broberg was a standout at the Edmonton Oilers’ return to play training camp this Summer and even suited up against the Flames in the exhibition game before the play-in series against Chicago. His play against Calgary in that game was not good but it was his first NHL experience and it was also in an exhibition game that was surprisingly fierce. This season, Broberg has already played four games in the SHL and has recorded one goal and four points. A lot of people are getting excited about these numbers but it is important to note that three of his four points came in one game which brings his point per game start back down to Earth. With that being said, Broberg recorded just one goal and eight points in 45 games for Skellefteå last year so he has already matched his goal total and is halfway to his point total after only four contests. It is early on in the season but there is definitely some positivity in his start. Broberg has a significant upside if he can become more well rounded and gain more consistency. Jameson Ewasiuk

March 2020 – On paper, Broberg’s one goal and eight points in 40 SHL games sound mediocre when in fact that is solid production for an SHL rookie who will not be 18-years-old until late June. For an Oiler comparison, Oscar Klefbom, Edmonton’s top defenseman, recorded just two points in 33 SHL games in his draft plus one season and that was after playing 23 SHL games in his draft year. For other comparables, Oliver Ekman Larsson recorded 27 points in 42 games in his season after being drafted but that was in the Allsvenskan and Erik Karlsson recorded 10 points in 45 SHL games after being drafted. No one is saying that Broberg is the second coming of Erik Karlsson but these comparisons do illustrate that his production is fair for a defender his age. Broberg’s one point in seven World Junior games this year is underwhelming but with that being said, too much stock is often put on international tournament performances. Overall, Broberg is still quite raw and at times his decision making leaves a lot to be desired but his physical tools are excellent and he has shown that when he is at his best, he is one of the best defensemen in his age group. Jameson Ewasiuk

June 2019 – With the eighth overall selection in the 2019 NHL Entry Fraft the Oilers opted to select mobile Swedish rearguard Philip Broberg. The pick has already been criticized by the “experts” on social media due to online rankings typically having the young defender ranked around 15th but with that being said, there is definitely upside with this player. Broberg is one of the best forward skating players in the draft and he definitely likes to take the puck up ice. When faced against his peers, Broberg is dominant as he proved when he was arguably the best defenseman at the Hlinka Gretzky last August (four points in five games) and then was named the best defenseman and a tournament All Star (six points in seven games) at the Under 18 tournament this Past April as his team Sweden won gold. Although he was less impressive, Broberg did play on Sweden’s World Junior team as Their youngest defender and had one assist in four games. His play in Allsvenskan was far less impressive and although his nine points in 41 games is respectable, he was often criticized for his questionable decision making and his poor puck management when carrying the puck up ice. In the future, Broberg and fellow Oilers’ prospect Evan Bouchard could form a nice tandem for Edmonton and compliment each other nicely as they can both contribute offensively but both excel in completely different areas. Jameson Ewasiuk

June 2019 – Broberg has been drafted eighth overall by the Oilers.  Jokke Nevalainen

June 2019 – Broberg was officially measured at 6-foot-3.25 and 200 pounds at the NHL Draft Combine.  Jokke Nevalainen

December 2018 – As a 17-year-old, Broberg has been a full-time pro player at the second-tier pro league in Sweden, the Allsvenskan. So far this season, Broberg has put up seven points in 27 games which is impressive production for someone so young in that league. Broberg has great speed which is pretty rare for a six-foot-three defenseman. He can also handle the puck at high speed. His lateral movement isn’t great, though, and his puck-skills and vision don’t seem to be high-end. Broberg still needs to improve his defensive game but with his size and hockey sense, it’s expected that part of his game will continue to grow. With his late June birthday, Broberg is pretty young for the 2019 NHL Draft. He’s a lock for the first round, and some teams may even consider him in the top ten. Broberg will represent Team Sweden at the World Juniors as the only first-time draft-eligible player on that roster but his role is expected to be small.  Jokke Nevalainen