The Edmonton Oilers have had lackluster defensive play to start the 2023-24 season and have been looking to fix their issues in any way they can without overspending for temporary assets this season. The team currently sits at 9-12-1 and remains near the bottom of the Pacific Division following a terrible start to their new campaign, but they’ve seemingly begun to turn their play around under a new coach. While they still have a lot of work to do before they can be considered a playoff team again, there are a few options around the league on the blue line that could help the team improve their defensive play, and one of those players is Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Adam Boqvist.
Boqvist was involved in the monster trade deal several seasons ago that sent Seth Jones to the Chicago Blackhawks and was the biggest return piece for the Blue Jackets, but he hasn’t quite panned out into the player they expected when they first acquired him. While he’s never been leaned on as an offensive producer, he was expected to take a step forward offensively and has yet to do that in his career. A change of scenery may be best for him at this point, and the Oilers can give him that. With that being said, here is a brief look at a potential fit for the Oilers.
Who Is Boqvist and How Would He Help the Oilers?
Boqvist is a 23-year-old right-shot defenseman from Falun, Sweden currently playing with the Blue Jackets. He is listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds and was drafted in the first round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft at 8th overall by the Blackhawks after a strong season in his home country, where he played in the J20 SuperElite League, as well as a short stint in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In his draft year with Brynäs IF J20, he scored 14 goals and added 10 assists for 24 points through 25 games. With Brynäs IF of the SHL, he had one assist in 15 games but made himself well-known as a top prospect at the U18 World Junior Championship (WJC).
Related: Oilers Can Bolster Depth in Kostin Trade With Red Wings
During the U18 WJC, Boqvist scored three goals and added three assists for six points through six games with his home country of Sweden. Boqvist chose to play in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) the following season with the London Knights, where he scored 20 goals and added 40 assists for 60 points through 54 games, before joining the Blackhawks in the NHL in the 2019-20 season.
Boqvist’s rookie campaign was impressive as he scored four goals and added nine assists for 13 points through 41 games, and he followed that up with a two-goal, 14-assist season in 35 games the next season. After he was traded to the Blue Jackets, he was expected to continue playing strong defensively and potentially have an offensive breakout, but that has yet to happen during his tenure.
In 109 games with the Blue Jackets so far, Boqvist has scored 16 goals and added 32 assists for 48 points, which is a 0.44 points-per-game average. His once strong two-way game that was adored by scouts is something he hasn’t been able to transfer to the NHL level.
While his defensive game isn’t the greatest, the Oilers may have one of the worst defensive lineups in the NHL. Adding Boqvist, who needs a fresh start and would benefit from being traded, could provide exactly what the Oilers need on the third pairing. He is a better defender than Broberg has been during his tenure with the Oilers, and he could even fight his way onto the second power-play unit.
Boqvist’s game will need to improve if he wants to stay in the NHL, at both ends of the ice. While his offensive numbers aren’t entirely awful, they’re nothing close to what teams expected out of him, and with the overabundance of defensemen in Columbus, he might be a player they choose to move on from. If the Oilers have a chance, they should be all over him.
He is an upgrade over both Broberg and Desharnais and would help the Oilers immediately. He is young and has plenty of room to grow into a potential top-four defenseman, and the Oilers could be the perfect spot for him. He would also add some internal competition as well and likely would give the Oilers more opportunities to run seven defensemen on any given night if they choose to.
What Would It Cost the Oilers to Bring Him In?
Boqvist’s contract runs through the end of the 2024-25 season and is valued at $2.6 million. The Oilers would have to find the space to bring him in, but he is an obvious upgrade on the team’s other defenders, and moving Cody Ceci with a draft pick or Philip Broberg and Warren Foegele should be more than enough to bring him in. The Oilers should be trying to make this deal work if the Blue Jackets truly are considering moving out some players and continuing their long rebuild.
The Oilers are currently enjoying a nice break and aren’t going to be back in action until Wednesday (Dec. 6) when they look for revenge against the Carolina Hurricanes, who defeated them 6-3 in their last meeting on November 22nd, 2023. Hopefully, the Oilers can try to improve that game and continue the streak they’ve put together over the past few games.