With the best of its defensive prospects already at or knocking on the door of the NHL roster, Litter Box Cats selects Philip Broberg for Florida Panthers with the 13th pick in the 2019 SBN Mock Draft.
The 17-year-old Broberg spent most of the 2018-19 season playing against men in Allsvenskan, the second tier of Swedish hockey under the SHL, with AIK.
In 41 regular season games, he produced two goals and six assists and finished with a -1 rating. He also appeared in three qualification games as AIK tried (and failed) to make the climb up a rung to the SHL.
As would be expected of a prospect with his abilities, Broberg represented his country at both the World U18, where he was named the tournament’s best defenseman for a 6 points in 7 games performance and won gold, and the U20 tournaments.
While AIK did not advance to the SHL, Broberg himself did, signing on to play for Skelleftea for the 2019-20 season.
Scouting reports label Broberg as an intelligent two-way defender with high-end skill. He is a very fluid skater with elite-level mobility and hockey sense. His positional play and reading ability makes him an effective player in the defensive zone and he is very adept at starting plays and joining the rush offensively.
Broberg could be the most complete defenseman in the 2019 draft class and his blend of size (6’3” – 203 lbs) and skill gives him the edge over other blue liners that would be available for the Cats at 13.
With former prospects Josh Brown, MacKenzie Weegar and Ian McCoshen all seeing time with the Panthers last season, the club could use a player with Broberg’s skill set in its prospect pool as the defensemen currently in the cupboard are longer-range prospects that were lower-round selections in recent drafts.
With one season in the Allsvenskan already under his belt and with another year of seasoning in the SHL, Broberg could be ready to become a Panther as soon as 2020-21.
SBN Mock Draft
1. New Jersey selects Jack Hughes, via All About The Jersey.
2. NY Rangers select Kaapo Kakko, via Blueshirt Banter.
3. Chicago selects Alex Turcotte, via Second City Hockey.
4. Colorado selects Kirby Dach, via Mile High Hockey.
5. Los Angeles selects Dylan Cozens, via Jewels From The Crown.
6. Detroit selects Bowen Byram, via Winging It In Motown.
7. Buffalo selects Cole Caufield, via Die By The Blade.
8. Edmonton selects Peyton Krebs, via Copper & Blue.
9. Anaheim selects Trevor Zegras, via Anaheim Calling.
10. Vancouver selects Matthew Boldy, via Nucks Misconduct.
11. Philadelphia selects Alex Newhook, via Broad Street Hockey
12. Minnesota selects Vasili Podkolzin, via Hockey Wilderness
How do you feel about the selection of Broberg?
| Love it – great pick! | 48 |
| Like it – would have went another direction, but happy with it | 27 |
| Okay, but definitely not what I’d have done | 21 |
| Hated it | 16 |