Scary scene as Philip Broberg is helped off the ice after awkward collision with Mitch Marner
Blues Philip Broberg had to be helped off the ice after he suffered an awkward collision with Mitch Marner of the Toronto Maple Leafs last night.
St. Louis Blues defenceman Philip Broberg left last night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs with an injury to his right leg early in the second period. The team quickly let reporters, including Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman, know Broberg would not return, leading to fears of how bad the injury could be and what it means for the Blues' defensive corps over the coming weeks.
The injury, in and of itself, initially appeared pretty bad. Broberg ran into Maple Leafs winger Mitch Marner along the boards, his right ankle area twisting in a very awkward way before he collapsed onto his leg. He immediately grasped at his knee in visible discomfort and stayed down for several minutes, eventually needing to be assisted off the ice by a trainer. He put no weight on the leg, which indicates the injury could be a long-term one.
Of course, the loss of Broberg is a big one, considering how well he was playing this season for St. Louis. The Blues inked the former Oilers defenseman, the eighth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, via a headline-grabbing offer sheet that signed him to a two-year, $9.16 million contract. Although he spent most of last season playing in the minors and skated in only 12 games with the Edmonton Oilers, the Blues thought highly enough of him to invest in his services as a top-four player. The gamble seemed to pay off, as he scored two goals and seven assists in 11 games this season, matching team star Jordan Kyrou for the points lead with nine while boasting a team-best +6 rating.
Though he can improve in a number of the underlying numbers, including, most notably, shot attempt control, where the Blues generated just 47.6% of shot attempts with him on the ice compared to 49.9% when he's off, Broberg has made himself the top left-shot defenseman in St. Louis, especially with Krug and Leddy out. The impact he had on both ends of the ice could be seen in short order, and his ability to take big minutes made him an important piece moving forward with the team's backline being stretched so thin due to injury.
The Blues do not play again until Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, so the team has a small window to get Philip Broberg checked out and see if surgery or further treatment is required. Now, without Broberg, there's an opening for others, such as veteran Ryan Suter and offseason addition Pierre-Olivier Joseph, to take on greater workloads. It also means additional defenseman Scott Perunovich will likely see more ice time over the next few games. While the Blues are surely hoping that Broberg will get a positive update on his recovery, his absence is a test of resilience for an already injury-laden roster.
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