Adam Boqvist Still Has A Lot To Prove For The Blackhawks

The Blackhawks need their young guys to step up to the plate over the course of the next few seasons if they are going to compete for the Stanley Cup again with Toews and Kane. Adam Boqvist is one of those young guys that have a lot to prove.

Adam Boqvist just finished his rookie season over a month ago. The 20-year-old defenseman still has a lot of hockey to be played; however, the team needs him to elevate his game this summer. Boqvist was drafted eight overall by the ‘Hawks in 2018, and he has the potential to be the team’s next star.

Kirby Dach stepped up this season. He played terrifically and showed the team he belongs in the NHL. While Adam Boqvist played alright throughout most of the year, he did have his moments of looking like a rookie out on the ice.

The Blackhawks can not pair Boqvist with someone like Duncan Keith if it means Keith will have to cover for Boqvist night in and night out. Boqvist getting stronger and improving his game this offseason will be crucial for the Blackhawks to move forward.

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Boqvist scored four goals and had nine assists throughout 41 games for the Blackhawks this past season. He averaged over 16 minutes of ice time a night during the regular season before that number fell to just over 13 minutes during the playoffs.

Boqvist had a tremendous rookie season, but when you add in the performance he had during the playoffs, things were not as remarkable. Boqvist was scratched for a playoff matchup and finished with a negative five in the plus-minus department. While he did not play great, hopefully, he took it as a learning opportunity.

The Blackhawks are going to have to make some changes to their blueline if they want to get Adam Boqvist and Ian Mitchell opportunities down the line. The team moving a guy like Connor Murphy or Olli Maatta would only make sense if Boqvist can step up to the plate and prove he can be a top defenseman for years to come for the Blackhawks.

There was a lot of good when it came to Boqvist’s first year in the NHL, but he did show that he can improve his game even further. What did you think of Adam Boqist’s rookie season?