Laing on Air: Talking Philip Broberg trade options with Lowetide on Sports 1440

The rumour mill has gone from a tepid trickle to a flowing faucet Tuesday morning when news broke the Edmonton Oilers granted defenceman Philip Broberg permission to seek a trade.

Broberg, drafted by the Oilers eighth overall in 2019, hasn’t been able to find his stride with the team since he arrived in North America in 2021. He’s played in just 79 NHL games, scoring two goals and 11 points, and has appeared in nearly half as many AHL games.

He’s played in 42 games with the Bakersfield Condors, scoring six goals and 29 points. While he’s seen more success in the American League, there’s been no sign of him being able to gain a strong enough foothold at either level.

Now, with the Oilers permitting him to seek a trade, the club has a chance not just to give him a shot elsewhere but to return a player that could be of more use right now.

My hit with Lowetide kicked off with talk about the news dominating the world of sports: the Toronto Blue Jays, and their connection to arguably the best player in MLB history, Shohei Ohtani. The Jays appear right in the mix for the once-in-a-millennium player, reportedly meeting with him at their world-class minor league facility Monday.

Lowetide then asked for my thoughts on the Broberg situation and who I felt could be options for the Oilers. I listed off names like Morgan Frost, a 24-year-old centre from the Philadelphia Flyers, who seems to be falling out of favour, and that of the Blue Jackets’ Kent Johnson, a high-flying forward in his second year, one removed from 16 goals and 40 points in his 79 game rookie season.

Lastly, I suggested the Oilers look at a larger deal with Columbus, surrounding Jack Campbell, Philip Broberg and picks for Johnson and goaltender Elvis Merzlikins.

The suggestions were nothing beyond speculation on my part, but I’d imagine the Oilers look for the kind of trade where they swap a “fallen out of favour” player in Broberg, for another.

You can listen to the complete radio hit below.

Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.