The Columbus Blue Jackets are once again staring down the barrel of a fire sale at the NHL Trade Deadline. To be fair, it isn’t just because they are last in their division. There is a logjam on the NHL roster, as young prospects are ready to take more prominent roles. But young players aren’t immune to potential deals. Take defenseman Adam Boqvist, for example.
Boqvist joined the Blue Jackets in 2021 after a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks. He entered the NHL with Chicago as a top-10 draft pick in 2018. The 23-year-old has shown that he can produce offensively when he’s healthy. However, health has been a major issue with Boqvist in the league so far.
The 23-year-old posted back-to-back 20+ point seasons prior to the 2023-24 campaign. Currently, he is on pace to score 17 points this year. That said, the Blue Jackets blueliner has yet to find the back of the net. He has missed time with injury, as well.
Overall, Boqvist is a talented offensive defenseman who just hasn’t had the chance to truly put everything together, for one reason or another. Perhaps a trade could help the 23-year-old finally find his game. With that in mind, here are three potential landing spots for Blue Jackets rearguard Adam Boqvist at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Wild need a defenseman
The next few weeks are vital for the Minnesota Wild. Minnesota is hanging around the race for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, how serious of a contender they truly are remains to be seen. They could sell at the deadline, but there is a chance they buy regardless of their standing.
The Wild need a defenseman in a bad way. Captain Jared Spurgeon is out for the rest of the season due to injury. Alex Goligoski and Jon Merrill haven’t exactly played too well, either. Star rookie Brock Faber has taken on the majority of the workload, but it can’t continue that way.
Adam Boqvist gives Minnesota a player who is NHL-ready and simply needs a new home. Minnesota could benefit in the short and long run if they can swing a deal with the Blue Jackets at the NHL Trade Deadline.
Sabres could swing a trade
The Buffalo Sabres have had an incredibly disappointing season. Buffalo has a promising group of players on their roster. However, things simply haven’t worked out for them this year. They’ll be careful at the NHL Trade Deadline in March, but they could still make some interesting moves.
Buffalo could be in the market for a defenseman. Owen Power is set to miss a couple of weeks with an upper body injury. And Mattias Samuelsson is out for the rest of the season due to injury. Adding to their blueline in a way that makes sense could help Buffalo down the stretch.
Adam Boqvist would be a sensible acquisition. While the Sabres could use experience, the 23-year-old Blue Jackets defender could be a huge gain for Buffalo at the NHL Trade Deadline. Especially if he can find his game in a new environment.
Oilers could take a chance
The Edmonton Oilers are one of the hottest teams in the entire league. Connor McDavid and company have completely turned things around after a nightmarish start to the year. As the NHL Trade Deadline approaches, it’s hard to imagine the Oil resting on their laurels.
The Oilers could be in the market for a defenseman as March’s deadline nears. Edmonton has scouted Blue Jackets games dating back to December. Their focus at the time almost certainly was the goalies Columbus had. And to be fair, that still may be their focus right now.
However, that doesn’t mean an Adam Boqvist trade is dead on arrival. The 23-year-old represents a short and long-term option for Edmonton that could yield fantastic results. As their contention window gets smaller, the Oilers will need to think about more than just the next few months of action.
It’s not outlandish to say the Oilers could stand to upgrade on the blueline, either. For example, the Oilers defeated the Detroit Red Wings 8-4 on Tuesday night. Connor McDavid led the way with six assists against the Winged Wheel. That said, Cody Ceci had a rather poor game. And the defense overall left a bit to be desired from a team cruising to a victory.
What the Oilers do between now and the NHL Trade Deadline remains to be seen. In any event, they should keep an eye on Blue Jackets defenseman Adam Boqvist. If they can make a deal work, it could have massive benefits this year and in seasons to come.
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