There isn’t much good that can be said about the final two games of the 2023-24 NHL regular season for the Edmonton Oilers. Looking every bit like a team that had already locked up its playoff seed, Edmonton sleepwalked through a 5-2 loss to the Arizona Coyotes in Tempe on Wednesday (Apr. 17) and barely showed up for a 5-1 loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Denver on Thursday (Apr. 18).
But there was at least one positive aspect of Game 81 and 82: the play of 22-year-old defenceman Philip Broberg.
Related: Oilers Recall Philip Broberg for Final 2 Games of Regular Season
With the results being inconsequential to their spot in the standings, the Oilers rested several players on Wednesday and Thursday. To fill open spots in the lineup, Edmonton recalled Broberg as well as veteran forwards Adam Erne and Sam Gagner from the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL).
For Broberg, who is still trying to become an everyday NHLer five years after being drafted in the first round by the Oilers, this was an opportunity to show he belongs. And the ninth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft seized the moment.
Broberg Looks Good in Pair of Games
Broberg was the only Oilers player to have a point against both the Coyotes and Avalanche, recording a primary assist in each game. He was credited with a team-high two blocked shots against Arizona and was one of only four Oilers not registering a negative plus/minus against Colorado.
While he was the victim of a couple of bad bounces, Broberg demonstrated some great defensive stickwork while reminding everyone how smooth and fast he is on his skates. He logged around 17 minutes each game, seeing time both on the power play and penalty kill.
Turning Point Came After Oilers’ Loss in Carolina
Before Wednesday, Broberg’s last time suiting up for the Oilers had been on Nov. 22, when he played just 5:17 in a 6-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
It was Edmonton’s third straight defeat, leaving the Oilers 30th in the overall NHL standings and 10 points back of a playoff spot. It was also the 10th time in a stretch of 11 games that Broberg had either been a healthy scratch or dressed but saw less than 7:20 of ice time.
As it turned out, that loss in Raleigh just before American Thanksgiving would prove to be rock bottom for both the Oilers and Broberg.
Beginning Nov. 24 against the Washinton Capitals, Edmonton went on a tear, winning 24 of its next 27 games, including a franchise-record streak of 16 consecutive victories. The Oilers ended up with the most points in the NHL after U.S. Thanksgiving and finished second in the Pacific Division, making one of the great turnarounds in NHL history.
While the Oilers were hitting their stride, Broberg had been stretched for every game after the loss to Carolina. Following reports that the defenceman and his agent had become frustrated with the Oilers, Broberg was assigned to Bakersfield on Dec. 7. And that’s when the turnaround began for the six-foot-four Swede.
Broberg Has Excelled in AHL
While spending more than four consecutive months in the AHL, Broberg played first-pairing minutes and was a force at both ends of the ice.
Broberg played 10 games with the Condors in December, scoring one goal and three assists and registering a plus/minus rating of plus-six. In January, he had 12 points in 11 games and a plus-seven rating.
After a deep bruise injury limited Broberg to only four games in February, he totaled one goal and nine assists over 14 games in March and then started April by scoring three times and adding three assists in five games before being recalled to the Oilers.
Future Is Bright for Broberg
On Friday, with the NHL 2023-24 schedule concluded, Broberg and Erne were reassigned to Bakersfield. Broberg was back in the Condors’ lineup for their AHL regular season finale on Saturday (Apr. 20), and picked up right where he left off, with three assists, four shots, and a plus-two rating in Bakersfield’s 5-3 victory over the Henderson Silver Knights.
The fast-progressing Broberg finishes the AHL season with 33 assists and 38 points, second and fourth most, respectively, on the Condors, despite playing only 49 games. He has three goals and 12 assists in his last nine AHL games, and including his brief recall with the Oilers, has points in 10 of his 11 games.
Broberg will play a huge role for the Condors in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. Bakersfield’s first postseason contest will be Wednesday (Apr. 24), on the road against an opponent to be determined.
Whether Broberg will return to Edmonton this spring during the Oilers’ run in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs remains to be seen. But if his latest play is any indication, Broberg should be seeing a lot more of the NHL in his future.