Oilers loan defenceman Philip Broberg to the Bakersfield Condors

The Edmonton Oilers announced this afternoon that they have loaned defenceman Philip Broberg to the Bakersfield Condors of the AHL.

There was talk last night that this move would take place after Connor Brown was forced to leave the Oilers game versus the Dallas Stars in the second period due to a non-contact injury. While no update has been given on Brown just yet, sending Broberg to the AHL would allow the Oilers to recall a forward from the Condors.

While Broberg had been up, the Oilers were often going with an 11-forward, seven-defencemen lineup. With Broberg down, it gives the Oilers an opportunity to recall a forward while still having six defencemen on the roster.

There is no indication yet of who may be recalled, but many fans are hoping for Raphael Lavoie. The 23-year-old had a real shot at making the Oilers lineup out of training camp but wound up being one of the last players cut. Since then, he has registered four goals and seven points in five games with the Condors, both of which lead the team.

Though Broberg hasn’t taken the step forward that the coaching staff was hoping to see early into the season, this demotion has less to do with performance and more to do with the fact that he isn’t required to go through waivers to be sent to the AHL. That said, the fact that he has averaged less than 12 minutes per game through his eight outings this season is extremely frustrating, given how much hype surrounded him just a few years ago.

Given that the Oilers are back in action tomorrow afternoon versus the Nashville Predators, there should be an update soon on which forward they do choose to call up from the Condors. While Lavoie is the frontrunner, both James Hamblin and Xavier Bourgault could also be considered. Lane Pederson would have been in the running as well but is currently out of the lineup due to injury.

You might also like:
• Edmonton Oilers featured by "Dateline NBC"