Weeks of waiting came to an end Friday evening, when the Columbus Blue Jackets traded Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks.
In exchange, the Blue Jackets are acquiring a defenseman of their own: Adam Boqvist.
The Falun, Sweden native was drafted 8th overall by the Blackhawks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. At just 20 years old, Boqvist is yet to play a full season with in the NHL, but has shown plenty of promise in two partial seasons with the team.
During the 2019-20 season, the 5'11" defenseman played in 41 games with Chicago, scoring four times and adding nine assists. Those games were played when Boqvist was just 19-years-old. In 35 games during the pandemic-shortened 2020-21 season, he added two goals and 14 assists to his resume.
In Boqvist, the Blue Jackets get a two-way defenseman who can move the puck and could make an immediate impact on the power play. For a glimpse of what Boqvist could bring to the table for Columbus on the offensive end, look at his time with the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League. He played in 54 games during the 2018-19 season, during which he scored 20 goals and added 40 assists for a total of 60 points; more than a point-a-game.
Boqvist's defense needs some fine tuning, but it's improved steadily over the first 76 games of his NHL career. Playing in the NHL as a teenager is a big ask, especially for a defenseman, so the fine-tuning is to be expected. Despite that, Boqvist has shown flashes of brilliance on the defensive end:
ADAM BOQVIST GOING ALL OUT TO SAVE A GOAL! pic.twitter.com/nh0gAZfoDI
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) March 14, 2021
Greg Boysen of The Hockey Writers summed up Boqvist's second season with the Blackhawks in a way that should excite the 5th Line in Columbus: "The progression of Boqvist was one of the biggest storylines heading into the season. As the season went on, we saw the young defender grow in confidence and start to show signs of being the dynamic player the Blackhawks need him to be."
Look for a sibling rivalry in the Metropolitan Division, as well. Boqvist is the younger brother of Jesper Boqvist, who is set to enter his third season as a member of the New Jersey Devils.
