Boqvist Brings Puck-Moving, Skating Skills to the Blue Line

Defenseman Adam Boqvist was excited when he found out the news that the New York Islanders claimed him off waivers from the Florida Panters on Friday afternoon, looking forward to the opportunity to provide the team with skill and depth in the back end.

“When I got the call that the Islanders picked me up, I was super excited,” Boqvist said. “I talked to them in the summer when I was a free agent, so knew a little bit before coming here. Everyone has been super nice and welcoming and I’m excited to get going.”

It was a savvy pickup for the Islanders, who can benefit from a right-handed, puck-moving defenseman with strong skating skills, especially when they’re without Noah Dobson, Ryan Pulock and Mike Reilly for the foreseeable future.

“You can never have enough puck movers in the game today, but they have to be the right people to accept the role they’re coming in for,” said Islanders President and GM Lou Lamoriello. “If they happen to be available, why not?”

The 24-year-old played parts of six NHL seasons with the Florida Panthers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Chicago Blackhawks, totaling 91 points (25G, 66A) through 227 games. He skated in 18 games for the Panthers this season, recording six points (2G, 4A) , along with 10 blocked shots and six hits.

Boqvist didn’t have to travel far after getting the news, hopping on a quick flight to Tampa with the plan to join the team for their matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first half of a back-to-back set. Boqvist won’t have to wait long to face his former team, as the Isles wrap up their back-to-back set against the Panthers on Sunday.

“It was a 30-minute flight here and it’ll be a 30-minute flight tomorrow,” Boqvist said with a laugh. “And to stay at a hotel [in Florida] when my fiancé is at our apartment. Just the business we’re in, it’ll be crazy to play against them tomorrow.”

Boqvist had some familiarity with the Isles prior to joining the team, pointing out that he knew Dobson and Alexander Romanov from being in the same draft class. Selected eighth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft by the Blackhawks, the Swede was on Lamoriello’s radar back then. Boqvist recorded 60 points (20G, 40A) in the 2018-19 campaign for the OHL London Knights and had a noticeable performance at the 2018 World Juniors with four points (1G, 3A) through five games, helping Team Sweden earn bronze.

“He was a high pick for a reason,” Lamoriello said. “He went and played junior for a year in London and he certainly had success at World Juniors. We know what his assets are.”

The Swedish defenseman participated in his first morning skate with the Isles on a pair with Scott Mayfield, who feels as though his game is complimentary to the skillset Boqvist brings.

“He moves the puck well, he skates well, those are the biggest standouts,” Mayfield said. “For me, if we’re paired together, he’s the kind of partner I like to play with. I can get a little physical and give him the puck.”

Head Coach Patrick Roy had a solid assessment of Boqvist after morning skate on Saturday, expressing his excitement to watch what the 191 lbs., 6’0” defenseman can add to the lineup, specifically the power play.

“He looked good this morning,” Roy said. “You can tell he’s a guy that moves well and he moved the puck well on the power play. Looking forward to seeing him in a game.”

Boqvist is looking forward to hitting the ground running and helping the d-corps down the stretch, already feeling comfortable with the team after his first day.

“It’s a big family in here, and that’s the biggest first impression I got,” Boqvist said.