Pucks and Pitchforks
Fansided

New Jersey Devils Get First-Round Talent In Jesper Boqvist

By Nick Villano

June 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the crowd before the start of the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
June 23, 2017; Chicago, IL, USA; NHL commissioner Gary Bettman addresses the crowd before the start of the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The New Jersey Devils used its second-round pick to pick up Jesper Boqvist. He was a great value pick to go along with Nico Hischier.

The New Jersey Devils had a great draft. Beyond picking up a future superstar in Nico Hischier, the Devils got some of the best value picks in all of the draft. That all started in the second round, when general manager Ray Shero chose Swedish center Jesper Boqvist 36th overall.

Multiple mock drafts had Boqvist going in the first round. Bleacher Report had him going 31st to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hockey Prospect ranked him 30th on their big board. Newsday had the Nashville Predators taking him in the first round as well.

While his value wasn’t top of the draft, he was still a player a lot of teams had their eyes on.

Boqvist adds to the Devils elite depth at center. He joins Hischier, Michael McLeod, John Quenneville and Pavel Zacha as centers under the age of 22 years old. Travis Zajac, Adam Henrique and Stefan Noesen already have spots on the roster, making it a very deep position on the Devils.

https://twitter.com/jesperboqvist/status/878644644720062464

So despite his value, why would the Devils spend a high pick on another center?

More from Pucks and Pitchforks

Boqvist’s number one skill is his skating ability. He has good speed and great agility. He has talent for days, but he hasn’t been able to put it all together.

The fact that the Devils have the center depth they do makes this a good fit for them. Boqvist has no chance of making an impact next season. He needs some serious polishing. If there was pressure from a team with little center depth, it could hurt his development. In New Jersey, Boqvist has the chance to take the next year or two to develop into a much better center. He can improve his scoring. Boqvist can form a true two-way game.

He made a move to play with the adults in the Swedish Hockey League. Boqvist struggled when playing with Brynas, but was too good for the Super Elite Juniors league. He’s very good against mediocre competition. Once that competition revs up, he needs some work perfecting his game. He will get that chance with the Devils.

Home/Draft