Colorado Avalanche: Philip Broberg a Smart Two-Way Defenceman

One option for the Colorado Avalanche’s second pick of the first round, #16, is Swedish defenceman Philip Broberg.

As it stands at the moment the Colorado Avalanche look pretty solid when it comes to defencemen. With Cale Makar joining the team during the postseason the defensive core now has a healthy mix of young talent and established veterans. That doesn’t necessarily mean that Joe Sakic won’t be looking to the future, though, and it’s entirely possible we could see a young defenceman like Philip Broberg getting picked up in the first round.

As a reminder, these are the picks the Avalanche have at the 2019 Draft:

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#4 (from Ottawa)
#16
#47
#62 (also from Ottawa)
#78
#140
#171
#202

I can’t see Broberg going as high as the 4th pick but he could be a solid choice for the 16th.

Philip Broberg

2018-19 Team: Skellefteå AIK (Swedish Hockey League)
Date of Birth: Jun 25, 2001 (17 years old)
Height: 6’3″
Weight: 201 lbs.
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left

Ranked #21 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM
Ranked #17 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #16 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #9 by MCKEEN’S HOCKEY
Ranked #5 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU Skaters)
Ranked #33 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #8 by TSN/McKenzie

As you can see there seems to be a divided opinion on where Broberg will be taken in the Draft, but the average has him going around the 16th to 21st pick which places him cleanly in the Avalanche’s radar.

If he was chosen the Avalanche would be getting what Curtis Joe of Elite Prospects describes as a “smart two-way defenceman with undeniable skill”. He adds:

His fluid skating ability allows him to punish over-extension immediately with how quickly he can start plays from his own end. What his impressive mobility tends to overshadow, though, is his positional play. While he doesn’t always make the high percentage play, he is very perceptive and thinks his decisions through.

This sentiment is echoed by Hannah Stuart at The Score who says:

Hallmarks of Broberg’s game include exceptional positioning, fluid skating, and elite hockey sense that allows him to see where the game is and where it could go.

What lets Broberg down at the moment is his shooting accuracy. Ben Kerr of Last Word on Hockey says Broberg “handles the puck well” but adds:

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.

Philip Broberg in action:

Philip Broberg and the Colorado Avalanche

While I think Broberg is a solid choice for the 16th pick, and that the areas he needs to improve on are things that can be fixed relatively easily, I’d probably pass on him if I was the Avalanche. There are stronger players who I think will be a better fit for the team and its needs.

Broberg won’t be NHL ready for at least a year, maybe two, and is set to play in the Swedish league again next season.

The 2019 NHL Draft takes place in Vancouver on June 21-22. The time for the first round hasn’t been announced, but I’m expected last year’s start time of 5:30 pm MT.