Philip Broberg may not have lit up the scoresheet in his Olympic debut, but the St. Louis Blues defender proved a lot of doubters wrong and showed why he is the Blues' No.1 defenseman now and in the future.
Philip Broberg’s selection to Team Sweden may have come as a surprise to some NHL fans, but not to St. Louis Blues fans.
And now, after the conclusion of the 2026 Olympics, no one will be questioning the decision to include Broberg on the roster.
The 24-year-old defender not only featured in every game for the Swedes but also logged big minutes in key matches. Broberg was paired with future Hall of Fame defenseman Erik Karlsson, placed alongside the veteran offensive defenseman to balance out Karlsson’s strengths.
Karlsson thrives when jumping into the rush and initiating offense. While Broberg is a capable offensive player, it doesn’t come as naturally to him. He’s best suited to defend and remain opportunistic on the offensive end.
In his five games at the Olympics, Broberg recorded just one assist, while Karlsson notched four assists.
Broberg and Karlsson served as the Swedes’ second pair, with Buffalo Sabres’ Rasmus Dahlin and Florida Panthers’ Gustav Forsling making up the first pair.
While on paper, Broberg skated on the second pairing, but in some games, Broberg was among the Swedes’ most-used defenders.
In the tournament opener against Italy, Broberg was the least-used defenseman, but he still recorded 18:02 of ice time. Against the Finns, that number dropped to 12:55, but in their most important game of the tournament against the Americans in the quarterfinal, Swedish coach Sam Hallam turned to Broberg.
Broberg recorded the second most ice time on the team, skating in 24:57, second just to his defense partner Karlsson, who posted 27:26 of ice time. Broberg’s 6-foot-4 frame proved to be an effective tool, as he finished the tournament with a plus-2 rating and wasn’t on the ice for a 5-on-5 goal against while averaging 17:45 of ice time.
Philip Broberg has scored three goals and 19 points in 56 NHL games this season. (Amber Searls-Imagn Images)As previously mentioned, St. Louis fans and management have recognized just how skilled and impactful Broberg is, highlighted by his recent six-year, $8-million contract extension.
While he may not put up point totals like some other notable defensemen, Broberg brings immense value defensively and is a solid puck mover who can eat heavy minutes.
There is some belief that Broberg’s offensive numbers could increase if given the reins to the power play in St. Louis, but for now, he’ll continue to be a two-way force at 5-on-5 while also killing penalties.
Broberg is the Blues’ No.1 defenseman of the present and the future, and with the performance he displayed in his Olympic debut, he’ll be a key figure for Sweden in the upcoming World Cups of Hockey and the Olympics.
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