On Wednesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets announced the signing of Adam Boqvist to a three-year, $7.8M contract.
The pending RFA, 21, will still be an RFA when his contract expires after 2024-25. From the Blue Jackets' standpoint, this deal checks a lot of boxes. For starters, his $2.6M AAV is more than reasonable for a contributing roster player with first-round pedigree - and talent. Second, the three years give the organization cost control and assurance heading into the future. And finally, it signals - both internally and externally - that Boqvist is likely deemed part of the core moving forward.
That's an important note, as rumors swirl about the Blue Jackets' connection with star defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Chychrun or not, the club seems to be in the market for a top-pairing defenseman who can take some of the defensive pressure off, well, players like Boqvist. And while the signing seems to indicate that Boqvist is seen in high regard, to say he is now untouchable as a trade piece would probably be naive.
The roster, as currently constructed, features Zach Werenski in a starring role with players like Boqvist, Vladislav Gavrikov, Andrew Peeke, etc. slotting in as the supporting cast. Playing Boqvist and Werenski together as the clear top pair in 2021-22 had its ups and downs. Per NaturalStatTrick, the duo held a distinct shot-share advantage in their 132+ 5v5 minutes together but were outscored 8-3 (in their defense, the xG numbers were on the right side of 50%, but a 27% goals for percentage is hard to swallow).
Boqvist is a fascinating player, as his skills - and deficiencies - are rather pronounced. He is one of the best offensive rush defensemen in the NHL, and there are few defensemen who can score at the same pace as him. No, really. His goals/60 led all NHL defensemen in 2021-22 (minimum 20 games played), besting players like Cale Makar and Victor Hedman. But he's a frustrating player in the defensive zone, as he consistently loses his checks or gets outmuscled in the dirty areas by his peers. The Stanley Cup Playoffs recently ended, and I can't say that Boqvist inspires me to believe in him in the late spring or early summertime.
Adam Boqvist, signed 3x$2.6M by CBJ, is a young offensive defenceman who likes to carry the puck in and score off the rush and can pass the puck well in the offensive zone. Poor defensively and prone to turnovers. #CBJ pic.twitter.com/UyONCE89pd
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) July 6, 2022
Sliding Boqvist into a second or third-pairing role may be optimum, but that sentiment basically applies to every Columbus defender not named Werenski. A Gavrikov-Peeke second pairing would be solid, but that would leave Boqvist on the third pairing with someone like Jake Bean, who had his own struggles in 2021-22, or Nick Blankenburg, a pending RFA in his own right, with seven NHL games and 123:00 of total TOI under his belt.
If Blankenburg is seen as an NHL player in the coming season, and his impressive seven-game cameo suggests he'll have a chance to lock down that spot, that basically means the six defensemen in the lineup are already set. Can that be true?
Heading into the draft, I couldn't help but wonder if Boqvist may be that odd man out in Columbus. With Werenski running the top power play, he seemed almost redundant, a luxury item of a player that doesn't quite fit in the NHL. This contract doesn't ensure that Boqvist will be on the roster through tomorrow - but it does seem to imply he's part of the roster longer-term. Logic would dictate that there is still a move (or several) to be had to quell the defensive woes from last season. Gavin Bayreuther, Scott Harrington, Gabriel Carlsson, and the myriad of defensive prospects don't appear ready to remedy the blue line this coming season.
But at the end of the day, this contract makes sense to both player and team. It's an affordable deal at a reasonable term, and the club retains his contractual rights even after the deal expires in 2025. If Boqvist doesn't outplay this nominal contract, the Blue Jackets will be able to cut bait and not regret the signing. If he does, the organization will be happy to have a young and ascending player on its roster as it builds towards competing for some hardware.
