I feel like our expectations and excitement are outpacing Broberg's actual level as a player at this point. I hope the burden of those expectations don't weight him down. Or better yet, he surprises and lives up to them.
Either way, this move certainly kept the offseason a bit more spicy for us. Hopefully the season will be, too.
It's fair to question what Broberg's actual level is at this point, but there are valid reasons why people are bullish on both players.
1. Draft pedigree; it's clearly not the end-all-be-all, but there is a reason why Celebrini went first overall in this year's draft. In this case, Broberg was drafted 8th overall in 2019 while Holloway was drafted 14th overall in 2020 (12 spots ahead of Neighbours).
2. Age; both players will be 23 years old to start this season. That tends to be the ripe age when players begin to take a significant step forward (and maybe a step they couldn't have taken in years past due to limited playing time and opportunities in Edmonton).
3. Recent playoff performance; both players were able to step up and play important roles in Edmonton's deep playoff run. That tends to bode well for player's confidence moving forward.
PSA: it's not anyone's responsibility to downplay other people's expectations. If other people want to be optimistic, then that's their choice. The rollercoaster of excitement and disappointment is part of sports.
