Oilers' Kulak Is A Potential Trade Candidate Instead Of Broberg

There has been a lot of talk surrounding Philip Broberg and the Edmonton Oilers this week, but it seems like it has been resolved for now. Broberg has been on the Oilers' roster for most of the season, but has barely gotten into the lineup and hardly played when he has been. This is due to Edmonton sheltering the young d-man a bit too much and inserting him into the lineup when there are seven defensemen dressed.

Finally, the Oilers sent Broberg down to the AHL to play top minutes instead of sitting in the press box every night wasting prime developmental time. He will play over 20 minutes a night in the three upcoming Bakersfield Condors games in the next five days instead of no time in the NHL. With him getting reps down in the AHL for the foreseeable future, if the Oilers want to keep him, they have to make a move to clear space.

The only player that makes sense is Brett Kulak at this point. He is a playoff performer and has performed well in the last two playoffs for the Oilers, but Broberg is a long-term option and has the numbers to back it up. He just never gets his chance. In order to be forced to consistently play Broberg in the NHL and save money in the process, the Oilers must trade Kulak. This would open up a spot on the third pairing for Broberg to play every game without question. The Oilers can't afford to lose another top prospect that has been mishandled for much less than he is worth. The better solution is to find a way to properly develop Broberg for the rest of the season and if he dominates in the AHL, which he has when he's been down there, call him back up and play him.