Each day over the next month leading up to the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, held on June 22 in Dallas, we will be taking a look at the top 31 prospects available, starting with the 31st and leading up to number one.
Next in the series of prospect profiles is our 9th-ranked prospect, defenseman Adam Boqvist.
Adam Boqvist
2017–18 Team: Brynas Jr. (Sweden)
Date of Birth: August 15, 2000
Place of Birth: Falun, Sweden
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 165 lbs
Shoots: Right
Position: D
NHL Central Scouting Final Ranking: 2 (European Skaters)
NHL Central Scouting Midterm Ranking: 2 (European Skaters)
NHL Comparable: John Klingberg
Adam Boqvist is an elite smooth-skating, offensive Swedish defenseman. While he may be lacking in size, his talent more than makes up for it. Boqvist looks like he will be a special player for a very long time.
Perhaps the first thing that stands out about Boqvist is his amazing skating ability. Boqvist possesses very high-end agility, which, in combination with his great speed and acceleration, makes him a threat purely because of his legs. Boqvist is an effortless skater. He is at his best when he is weaving in and out of opponents with the puck. Boqvist’s agility allows him to make last-second cuts to easily elude defenders. His ability to make the opposition miss is remarkable.
Another big strength of Boqvist is his hockey sense. Boqvist is very good at scanning the ice and almost immediately making a decision about what to do next. Whether it be making a pass or keeping the puck, Boqvist rarely seems to make ill-advised decisions with the puck.
Boqvist’s high-end vision allows him to be an excellent passer. Boqvist is among the best players in the draft class at making a quick, hard breakout pass. He has no troubles making tape-to-tape stretch passes, but also has the touch and perception needed to make skilled area passes for a teammate to skate into. His passing ability and creativity with the puck also make him a lethal power play quarterback.
Boqvist also possesses very good hands, which allow him to be a shifty player with the puck. Boqvist is comfortable dancing around defenders with his feet while putting the puck through and around defenders with his hands. His hands also allow him to be very dangerous close to the net, whether in the form of a deke or a finesse shot.
Another elite trait Boqvist possesses is his shot. Boqvist’s wrist shot is very accurate and he gets it off quickly with good power. He also has the ability to sneak shots through from the point, often leading to deflections or rebounds. Boqvist’s top-notch skating also allows him to open up shooting lanes for himself. His slapshot is also a legitimate threat, though adding more upper-body strength would make it even more dangerous.
While Boqvist specializes as an offensive defenseman, he holds his own in the defensive zone. Boqvist uses his hockey sense to locate opponents and quickly closes gaps with his skating. His smarts also allow him to anticipate and break up plays, which he then transitions to offense lightning-fast, whether with his feet or making a strong breakout or stretch pass. However, because of his size, Boqvist can be out muscled in front of the net and along the boards, which will likely cause some issues in the NHL. He will need to be able to handle playing against opponents’ biggest and best players if he is going to be a go-to defender.
Overall, there are tons of things to love about Boqvist. He does have some growing to do, which will take time, but he looks to be an elite defenseman in the making.
Implications for the Blackhawks
With as much elite offensive potential as Boqvist has, he very well may be off the board by the time the Hawks are picking at eighth. But, if he is still available, he could be an excellent choice to be a blueline building block for the future. A one-two punch of Boqvist and Jokiharju on the right side of the defense would be simply amazing. The Blackhawks really do not have a top-pairing right-handed defenseman right now, so they could do worse than drafting Boqvist to develop into that spot, especially considering the rapid decline of Brent Seabrook. The Blackhawks’ prospect cupboard is basically non-existent in terms of right-handed defensemen after Jokiharju, so investing in a high-end righty would not be a terrible decision for Stan Bowman. However, with Boqvist’s draft stock as a bit of an unknown—some have him projected as high as fourth overall and others down around 10th overall—the Hawks may need to look elsewhere. With as many high-end defensemen as there are available who are expected to go in the top 10, playing style will likely determine where they will go. If a team wants a game-changing offensive talent, Boqvist will go early. If teams want a more well-rounded game, he could slide a bit. Only time will tell.
Timeline
Boqvist will definitely need a couple of years to be ready for the NHL, especially given the fact he is among the youngest players in the draft class, being born in mid-August of 2000. He is very light given his height, and will really need to bulk up to sustain the physicality of the NHL. Though not a liability per se, Boqvist also needs to improve his defensive game, as he is much better offensively than defensively. He would likely benefit from a year in the American Hockey League to get used to playing his game on the smaller North American ice. As such, Boqvist will likely not be fully NHL-ready until 2020–21.
Projection
Boqvist is a very talented player. He owns all of the tools needed to develop into a franchise defenseman, though that will take time. As stated, he needs to get bigger and solidify his play in the defensive zone, but assuming he does, there is no reason to suspect he will not become a top-pairing defenseman capable of quarterbacking his team’s power play. Even if Boqvist cannot add enough strength to be a legitimate top-pairing defender, he will be an elite number three option.
What others are saying
“A dynamic offensive defenceman that can carry plays with the puck on his stick. A highly mobile and nimble skater that moves with fluidity, balance, and confidence. Utilizes an active stick and creates turnovers frequently. Could be more proactive in his own end, but has shown progression in understanding lanes and reading unfolding plays; most of his best defensive work comes through the neutral zone, as there is a lot less time and space to work with, and it is in those moments that Boqvist shines. Offensively, Boqvist is electric; he has the toolbox of a top line forward. Slick puckhandling ability paired with excellent vision and positional awareness makes him a dangerous threat every time he is on the ice. He also takes advantage of the attention and bodies he draws towards himself in creating space for teammates. All-in-all, Adam Boqvist is a complete offensive defenceman that knows how to get the puck from point A to the back of the net, and can make it happen all by himself.”
— Curtis Joe/Elite Prospects
“Boqvist is as good a playmaker as he is a shooter. He is equally dangerous in both offensive aspects. He can score from anywhere on the ice. If he doesn’t have the shooting lane, he can complete almost any pass. It’s usually the right pass and on the tape. He does all of this at a high rate of speed as he is a dynamic skater. Need an example of how offensively gifted he is? When his team needed a shootout goal, he was called upon to deliver and usually did. Of course the question with an offensive defenseman is how good is his two-way game? In Boqvist’s case, it’s decent. There’s certainly work to be done especially in his own end, but it’s improved. He’s actually really effective breaking up plays in the neutral zone. He uses his speed and stick handling to do this. Where he needs to improve is his size and strength in order to become more effective in his own zone. He thrives in open space, but needs to solidify his play in tight spaces.”
— Mark Scheig/The Hockey Writers