New Jersey Devils: 3 Acceptable Vladimir Tarasenko Trades

This is the trade I see the absolute most. It has a lot to do with Devils fans trying to get rid of Jesper Boqvist because he hasn’t lived up to expectations, but remember the same thing was happening last offseason with Michael McLeod. Now, McLeod has been a really good NHL player in the role he’s in now.

So, there is an inherent risk in sending Boqvist to the Blues, but it’s clearly not a risk not worth taking. Boqvist has a limited ceiling in the NHL unlike a player like Alexander Holtz. Don’t get us wrong, Boqvist could still be a really good player. The Blues probably see the potential that’s there. Boqvist came to the Devils, tried to learn the North American style of play, played for three different head coaches, and tried to play during a pandemic when the team dealt with an outbreak.

Boqvist shows how good he is when he turns it on in the AHL. There are times when he looks like the best player on the ice despite the AHL team being a tire fire at times. He has a dynamic skill set the Blues will want. The 2nd-round pick in a really good draft would work as insurance in case there is an issue with Boqvist’s game. He had his issues in the NHL, but he’s only 22 years old, so there is a lot of growth he still has to do. The Blues would gladly watch him grow under their watch.