Fabian Zetterlund, Jesper Boqvist, Alexander Holtz… Who’s The Odd Man Out?
As the injured New Jersey Devils forwards return to good health, there will be some interesting lineup decisions regarding the group of forwards Lindy Ruff will deploy. Among the bunch in danger of losing a starting gig; are Fabian Zetterlund, Jesper Boqvist, and Alex Holtz. All three youngsters found themselves out of the lineup at some point this season. With the return of Ondrej Palat, one of them will return to familiar territory in the press box. Here’s a case for why each player could stick in the Devils lineup as the team gets healthy upfront.
The Case for Fabian Zetterlund
Fabian Zetterlund, the 23-year-old Swede, endeared Devils fans early on this season as he clicked on the New Jersey top line with Nico Hischier and Tomas Tatar, providing offense and plenty of energy.
Zetterlund has since gone cold. The youngster has not found the back of the net since December 3rd against the Flyers, a 13-game goal drought. Lindy Ruff decided to scratch Zetterlund on Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues as Palat returned to the lineup.
Ruff was vocal on the decision to scratch Zetterlund, saying post-game, “either you’ve got to produce, or you’ve got to be a guy that the other team hates playing against.” Ruff also mentioned, “Let’s look at the numbers. It’s got to be better than that.”
On the season, Zetterlund has 5 goals and 9 assists, equalling 14 points. Zetterlund will respond well to the healthy scratch, which will ignite a fire in him. Expect good things from Zetterlund moving forward. Zetterlund’s offensive capabilities are promising enough to keep him in the lineup not only in the near future but as a key piece in the long-term success of the Devils. The message from Coach Ruff may also encourage the youngster to polish other aspects of his game, making him tougher to play against.
The Case for Alex Holtz
Alex Holtz has been highly touted since the Devils drafted him with the 7th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 20-year-old has had his ups and downs already in his young career. Fans have called for him to be traded, sent down to the AHL, or put on the first line, but nobody is on the same page about the youngster.
Holtz has four points in 17 games this year, including three goals. He doubled his season point total in the 3rd period of Wednesday night’s game in Detroit. Holtz displayed his wicked wrister with his goal and showcased his vision on his assist. His play has looked much better as of late; even Thursday night Holtz was very noticeable in a game he didn’t get on the scoresheet. The messages Coach Ruff sent the youngster through his benching and healthy scratches have started to pay off.
Holtz has made a clear effort to be better in his own end of the ice, as well as on the forecheck. Holtz has the potential to become a complete player. The message that he must earn his play time has seemed to resonate with the rookie.
He should be in the lineup every night, getting minutes in a top-six role. With players who can create offense, Holtz can thrive, and we know about the mighty shot he brings to the table.
The Case for Jesper Boqvist
Jesper Boqvist, the 24-year-old Swede, was the Devils’ second-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Boqvist has not quite lived up to the expectations of a second-round selection in New Jersey.
152 games into his NHL career, Boqvist has 21 goals and 17 assists, totaling 38 points. Only four of those points have come this season in 33 games, a largely underwhelming total. Although Boqvist has not contributed much on the offensive end of the rink, he has played well in his own end and on the penalty kill, where he has logged some serious minutes.
Boqvist is a smooth skater and takes care of his end of the ice, making him a fine fourth-line center moving forward, but that may be his ceiling. Don’t expect much from the offensive side. The Devils already deploy a 4C-type player in Michael McLeod, so filling your team with players of this mold can become counter-productive.
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The Verdict
Jesper Boqvist is the odd man out here. He does not bring enough to the table, and his potential seems to max out in a fourth-line role. Zetterlund and Holtz are far too offensively gifted to be sitting, and this is their job to lose. Although these two guys may need a kick in the butt occasionally via healthy scratch, both players fit the long-term plans in New Jersey and should be treated as such.