Friday was the first day in November, and Blues defenseman Philip Broberg already has set a career high.
With his assist in the team鈥檚 2-1 loss Thursday night in Philadelphia, Broberg notched his ninth point of the season, surpassing his previous best of eight points set two years ago with the Oilers. He is tied for the team lead with nine points through the first 11 games.
Broberg collected the puck inside the Flyers鈥 zone close to the right half-wall, protected it from defenders and whirled a shot on Philadelphia goaltender Samuel Ersson. Ersson kicked it out to his right, where Nathan Walker was ready to pounce.
鈥淛ust trying to take it into the zone, got it back and just sling it to the net,鈥 Broberg said. 鈥淎 lucky bounce and it went into the net.鈥
Blues defenseman Philip Broberg, left, is challenged by Minnesota鈥檚 Brock Faber as he pushes the puck across the blue line in a game on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, at Enterprise Center.
Broberg (two goals, seven assists) has been a revelation for the Blues during his opening month with them after he was acquired this summer when Edmonton did not match general manager Doug Armstrong鈥檚 two-year offer sheet.
People are also reading…
Now, he鈥檒l get more opportunity at the top of the first power-play unit. That鈥檚 where he practiced Friday afternoon with Justin Faulk in the left circle, Jordan Kyrou in the slot, Pavel Buchnevich in the right circle and Jake Neighbours at the net-front.
鈥淐ertainly seen a lot of growth in his game on the power play,鈥 Blues coach Drew Bannister said of Broberg. 鈥淎gain, the lack of success that we鈥檝e had on the power play, we felt like we have to make a few changes. As much as it is simplifying it a little bit more and getting our guys to shoot more pucks. Sometimes, that鈥檚 an easy way to get out of things. As a group, we can be more in the mindset of shooting pucks and not looking for the perfect play.鈥
The Blues rank 23rd in the league on the power play, and the top unit has not scored a goal in three weeks.
With the promotion to the top power-play unit, perhaps Broberg could be in line for more ice time in 6-on- 5 situations. In Philadelphia on Thursday, Broberg did not play in the final 2:24 of the third period.
鈥淎t the end of the day, I think the 6-on-5 situation is a little bit of a feel of guys who have had success in the past,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚 go back to we鈥檝e seen growth in his game on the power play where maybe that wasn鈥檛 the opportunity he had in Edmonton and he鈥檚 still feeling it out. But certainly see positive progress in him and the plays he鈥檚 making, the way he鈥檚 playing 5 on 5.鈥
Broberg opened the season with a six-game point streak. That was the longest streak by a defenseman to begin his Blues career, and tied the longest streak by a defenseman (Steve Duchesne in 1997-98).
Only six NHL defensemen entered Friday with more points than Broberg.
鈥淚 think I鈥檓 feeling comfortable,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just looking to help the team in any way I can.鈥
The Broberg-Faulk pairing has played the fourth-most time at 5 on 5 in the NHL and have only been on the ice for three goals against. That鈥檚 the fewest for any pair with at least 140 minutes, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Kyrou still in drought
Blues forward Jordan Kyrou鈥檚 goal drought reached 10 games when he went scoreless Thursday. Kyrou finished the game with nine shot attempts, which included two posts hit during his first shift of the second period.
The 10-game drought is the fourth-longest of his NHL career, and longest since he went 10 games without a goal in November and December last season. During the 10 games since he scored twice in the season opener in Seattle, Kyrou has seven assists.
鈥淐an鈥檛 get any closer than hitting the post, right?鈥 Kyrou said. 鈥淛ust got to keep shooting and they鈥檙e going to go in here soon.鈥
Since Oct. 9, Kyrou is the only forward in the league that has at least 30 shots on goal but zero goals.
There are 63 forwards with at least 50 shot attempts in that same span. Only Kyrou (59 attempts) and Cutter Gauthier (65 attempts) have not scored in that time.
Kyrou had a season-high 10 shot attempts Saturday in Montreal.
鈥淭he only way to do that is to keep shooting the puck and getting those chances in the slot,鈥 Kyrou said. 鈥淛ust keep ripping 鈥檈m.鈥
When factoring in Kyrou鈥檚 shot quality and his historical shooting talent, analytics site MoneyPuck estimates Kyrou should have scored 1.8 more goals at this point of the season.
鈥淚 like the fact that he鈥檚 shooting the puck,鈥 Bannister said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 something we need to see more from our team. Eventually, one inch one way or the other, that puck goes in the net.
鈥淚 think Jordan has the right mentality that shooting the puck is the way to get himself out of this. I don鈥檛 think overpassing or overthinking things (helps).鈥
Berube returns
Former Blues coach Craig Berube, now guiding the Toronto Maple Leafs, returns Saturday night to Enterprise Center with his team.
The Blues are expected to honor Berube, the only coach in franchise history to win the Stanley Cup.
The Blues scored four total goals in their three losses to Montreal, Ottawa and Philadelphia, forcing them to be perfect in other aspects of the game in order to even try to come away with points.
PHILADELPHIA 鈥 The Blues rebounded with their performance. The result did not follow.
