June 2, 2024 by Eric Friesen

When the Edmonton Oilers selected Philip Broberg eighth-overall in 2019, many fans were surprised and frustrated with gifted offensive forwards like Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield still available.

While the pick was initially questioned, General Manager Ken Holland insisted that big, talented defencemen who can transport the puck are required to go on a long playoff run. Five years later, the Oilers are now just one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final, and Broberg is contributing to the team’s efforts to bring home their sixth championship.

After going nearly six weeks without playing, Broberg returned to the Oilers lineup in Game 4 on Wednesday, and delivered likely the best performance of his young NHL career two nights later in a pressure-packed situation. Broberg scored his first career NHL playoff goal and had a plus-one rating, as the Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars 3-1 in Game 5 of the 2024 Western Conference Final on Friday.

Shortly after Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had made it 2-0 for the Oilers with his second power-play goal of the game, Broberg fired a seeing-eye shot from the blueline through crowd in front of Jake Oettinger that went right into the top corner to put the orange and blue up the three in the middle frame. Though he was glad to get his name on the scoresheet, Broberg’s sole focus was securing the victory.

“Obviously, it was nice to get the goal, but more importantly, we got a win,” said Broberg following the Oilers win on Friday. “I’m just trying to play my game. The guys out there are helping me a lot, and I want to help the team win.”

The 22-year-old, who spent most of the season with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors, didn’t look out of place on the Oilers’ back end despite the extended stretch between games and taking on the top seed in the Western Conference. His 12 NHL games in 2023-24 were fewer than either of his first two seasons in North America, but injuries, including a deep bruise in February, delayed his recall to the big club.

“I wanted to get back in the lineup, and it was nice to get in the lineup, and get a feeling of the playoffs” said Broberg. “I’m just enjoying every second of it, and it’s nice to be playing.”

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Not only did Broberg score the insurance marker in Game 5, he was also tasked with shutting down the Dallas Stars’ lethal power-play when Brett Kulak was called for holding later in the second period. He does a exceptional job of using his feet to make plays, whether it’s eliminating the opposition’s attack off the rush, or making clean zone exits under control. Oilers captain Connor McDavid spoke highly of Broberg’s impact at both ends of the ice in the biggest game of the year.

“[Broberg was amazing],” said McDavid on Friday. “Obviously, a big goal, but not only that, he was skating everywhere and skating pucks out on his own. It could’ve been a one-man breakout at times, and that’s what he needs to do to be successful. His legs are a gift and he’s got to use them.”

Head Coach Kris Knoblauch has shown no fear in making major changes to the lineup in these playoffs. Although the Oilers are a league-best 93.5% on the penalty kill in the 2024 playoffs (they also tied a franchise record with 25 consecutive power-plays killed off in the playoffs in Game 5), Knoblauch scratched one of his top penalty killers in Vincent Desharnais and inserted a defender with under 10 games of playoff experience. Like most of his moves since stepping behind the Oilers bench this past November, the decision to give the speedy Broberg a look has paid off so far.

“I thought Broberg has been in a really difficult situation,” said Knoblauch during his post-game media availability on Friday. “Game 4 was kind of a must-win game for us, and he came in and played really well. And for him to come in tonight, I thought he just continued to build on his game and play really well.”

If the Oilers should advance to the Stanley Cup Final, there’s no guarantee how much Broberg will play, or if he will play at all. However, if nothing else, Broberg is making a strong case for himself to be a full-time NHL defenceman with this club in 2024-25.