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Swedish defenceman Philip Broberg had his coming out party at last summer’s Hlinka-Gretzky Cup. He put up three goals and four points in five games and helped the Swedish team to a silver medal. He also represented Sweden at the World Juniors, appearing in four games and picking up one assist. Broberg also played in five games for Sweden at last year’s Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He is currently preparing for the IIHF Under-18 World Championships where he will be expected to be one of the top defenders in the tournament.
Domestically, Broberg played for AIK in the Swedish Allsvenskan, showing his skills off in a men’s league. He put up two goals and seven assists for nine points in 41 games. While that does not sound like much, it actually led the league in points by an Under-18 player. He helped AIK to a first-place finish in the regular season. Unfortunately, they did not qualify to move up to the SHL in the qualification playoffs. Broberg also put up two goals and six assists for eight points in eight games in the J-20 league.
Philip Broberg Scouting Report
Defence — shoots Left
Born June 25th, 2001 — Orebro, Sweden
Height 6’3″ — Weight 203 lbs [191 cm / 92 kg]
Skating
Broberg is an outstanding skater and this defines his game. He has excellent speed, moving effectively in both directions. His first step quickness and acceleration are also top-notch as he reaches that top-end speed in just a few strides. His agility and pivots are also very good but could still use some work to reach the same level as his speed and acceleration. The strong-skating allows Broberg to play an effective two-way game. Broberg’s long stride generates a lot of power and he is able to fight through checks. His excellent balance and solid base allow him to win battles against his opponents, especially when he has been playing against those his age. There is room to get stronger and more powerful when facing men.
Offensive Game
Broberg handles the puck well. Combined with his skating, he can take the puck out of danger and move it up the ice. He also has the ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone and create offence on the rush. Broberg also has good vision and passing skills. He starts the transition game by head-manning the puck and can play the point on the power play. Broberg moves well laterally and uses his ability to walk the line and change angles to create passing lanes. He is a creative player who can thread the needle with a tape-to-tape pass to set up a teammate.
Broberg’s slap shot is hard but could use some improvement on accuracy and on his ability to get it through shooting lanes. Broberg also has a good wrist shot and snapshot as well as a quick release which he takes advantage of by sliding down from the blue line to get closer to the net. However, he can again work on his accuracy with these shots.
Defensive Game
Broberg uses his skating to play an effective defensive game. However, he combines that skating with high hockey IQ and it makes him even better. He reads and anticipates the play extremely well, cutting off passes before they happen and transitioning to offense. While not a huge hitter, he uses his size to battle along the boards and help clear the front of the net. He is not afraid to block shots or take a hit to make a play and clear the zone. An active stick helps Broberg to pokecheck opponents and get the puck off of them.
Projection and Comparison
Broberg will likely look to continue his growth in Sweden next year. He is at least a year or two away from the NHL. He could grow to become a top-pairing player at the NHL level, with the ability to play big minutes and on both the power play and penalty killing unit. Broberg’s skating ability will help him to take advantage and make an impact in the new NHL. In terms of a stylistic comparison, his game is reminiscent of Mattias Ekholm but this is not a comparison based on skill or ability.
Highlights
The following is a compilation of some of the highlight packages and features of Philip Broberg that are available on youtube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h82tcBMKkgI&list=PLOgBIUfkk2BMNxz4Aae_Zy6fVk0G_nZDH
Check back tomorrow for the next prospect on our draft board.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
