New York Rangers draft target 2018: Adam Boqvist

The New York Rangers currently hold three picks in the first round of this year’s draft. One player they could target at ninth overall is dynamic Swedish defenseman Adam Boqvist.

While this year’s draft buzz has been centered, rightfully so, around franchise defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, there is another talented Swedish rearguard available; Adam Boqvist. Boqvist is an incredibly talented offensive defenseman capable of playing top pair minutes.

He struggled in the SHL this season, only posting one assist in 15 games. But, Boqvist has been absolutely phenomenal against his own age group. He had 24 points in 25 games in the Swedish U-20 league, as well as nine points in nine games in the U-18 league.

A few months ago, the idea of Boqvist sliding to nine seemed ludicrous. However, now it doesn’t seem as crazy. Reports have been surfacing that Boqvist will slide and could possibly be available at nine. If he is, Jeff Gorton needs to sprint to that podium and draft him.

At 17, Boqvist is one of the younger players in the draft, so he’ll need some time before he is NHL-ready. That being said, if teams are willing to wait, and they should be, Boqvist’s talent level more than makes up for it. With that being said, let’s take a deeper look at Adam Boqvist.

Skating

Boqvist is an incredible skater. He has exceptional speed and his acceleration is also very good. His edgework is outstanding, which allows him to seamlessly transition from offense to defense.

Boqvist is incredibly agile. Because of all this, his two way game is very good. He can lead the rush, or he can pinch at the blue line, and still possesses the speed to get back defensively. He can also cover a lot of ice and has great positioning.

Offense

Boqvist has incredible vision, which allows him to thread the needle with his passes. He is also very aggressive on offense, always willing to join the rush.

Boqvist is also a tremendous shooter. His wrist shot is very powerful, and his release is quick. He possesses a really nice slapshot, and his one-timer is very good, as well. He keeps his shots low and on net, which gives teammates the opportunity to cash in on rebounds or tip-ins.

Offensively, Boqvist is a very smart player. He is very adept at walking the blue line, which opens up a ton of lanes. He is also very patient, and waits for plays to develop if he can’t make them happen himself.

Boqvist also always seems to make the smart play with the puck, rarely making an egregious mistake.

Defense

Boqvist has very strong footwork, which allows him to maintain his positioning and control gaps. He is on the small side, which limits his game in the corners and in front of the net. He has a very active stick, and is always poke checking opponents and creating loose pucks.

Boqvist has a very good first pass, and can retrieve the puck quickly and get it out with possession. He can also make the home run pass and breakout quickly.

Projection

Boqvist needs some time to develop, and needs to bulk up a bit. He struggled in the SHL as a 17 year old, so he most likely will not be making the jump to the NHL right away. He will most likely spend another year playing in Sweden and should feature prominently at next year’s World Juniors.

Boqvist has all the tools to be a franchise defenseman, but he just needs a bit of time first. His talent level will be worth the wait.

Next: 2018 NHL Entry Draft Rankings

Boqvist is an incredibly talented player, and would give the New York Rangers their first homegrown, elite level defenseman since Brian Leetch. He very well may not be available at nine. But, if Montreal takes Jesperi Kotkaniemi at three, it may be enough to push him and other talented players down the board. If Boqvist is available at nine, Jeff Gorton shouldn’t hesitate to pick him. He would be a phenomenal addition to the New York Rangers.

Home/Analysis