As some may have noticed, I have been very high on Adam Boqvist ever since he shook off whatever was ailing him earlier this season not only before he was in COVID protocol but also for a few games afterward.
I wasn't always high on him, though, as I will admit that a demotion to Rockford was an option that I was in favor of if he didn't show stark improvement in his overall play upon his return from COVID protocol.
His first few games back in the lineup seemed like more of the same timid play that plagued him at the start of the season. He lacked confidence and seemed underwhelming in every aspect of the game.
Yet, Boqvist somehow turned his season around and not just marginally. He went from being a cringe-worthy liability to one of the top players, particularly in what was expected to be his Achilles' heel: defense.
While still slight of frame, Boqvist is using every weapon in his utility belt to defend: controlling gaps, stick checking, blocking lanes, getting inside positioning, and playing the body.
He will never be one to deliver a huge hit. That's just not his style. Instead, he does enough to get body on body to disrupt the puck carrier. But if push comes to shove, he's starting to fight back.
On odd-man rushes, Boqvist more often than not finds a way to neutralize the threat even if it means sprawling on the ice or diving in desperation to break up a play. He's willing to exert effort.
Offensively, Boqvist is smarter with his pinches. When he does, he's dangerous as he can unleash a wicked slapshot or wrister from anywhere. Also, his precision passing is arguably the best on the team.
The prodigious upward trajectory of his development is why Boqvist deserves to keep playing while Ian Mitchell, Nicolas Beaudin, Lucas Carlsson, and Wyatt Kalynuk are taking turns starting and marinating.
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What has been the difference between Boqvist and the rest of the young blueliners? Experience could be one thing. Boqvist played 41 games in the NHL last year while the others are in their rookie seasons.
Another thing that is related is applying what they learn to the big leagues which includes adjusting to the speed, pace, and physicality of the NHL. Learning on the job is one thing but so are other methods.
Being a healthy scratch and viewing games from the lofty perch of the press box is one way to learn. Having a bird's eye view of the entire ice sheet helps to gain new perspectives and notice blind spots.
All prospects also receive lessons and insights from player development staff whether simply talking one-on-one, engaging in drill instruction, and/or watching and breaking down tape of their past games.
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During the year after Boqvist was drafted in 2018 when he spent a season with the London Knights of the OHL, the Blackhawks produced a behind-the-scenes look at his development as an 18 year old.
The video actually focused first on Brian Campbell's journey from retiring to becoming a player development coach for the franchise. Much of the clips concentrate on Campbell's mentorship of Boqvist.
Here are a few highlights from that video:
Campbell: "There. See, that's the effectiveness of what Adam can do [right]. Two scoring chances and he can turn a game over...See right there, he, you know, I love that. He stays in the zone, keeps the puck in. Early in the year he would've backed off a little bit there. And now we're gonna see a shift where they're gonna be in the offensive zone for maybe 30 more seconds, hopefully, and it results in good things."
In that segment, Campbell was referring to Boqvist pinching effectively to generate offense and maintain pressure. Well-timed pinches are key and Boqvist has gotten better at this in his second NHL season.
Campbell: "But, you know, that's an improvement that I see from September and even as recently as a couple weeks ago."
This segment is an illustration of Boqvist's capacity to integrate lessons learned into how he performs in the future. He could very well have picked up lessons while watching games during COVID protocol.
Campbell: "I think you can create offense, and I love doing this, is you get this puck here, come in here and attack. Right now you're pinning yourself in that area only. You know, your partner can slide over. Go up and attack the middle, go take a guy on, beat him, and then move the puck."
What Campbell is doing in this clip is encouraging Boqvist to not play back conservatively but trust his D partner and use his elite skills to gain a competitive advantage to help the team flip the ice.
Campbell: "Now get back, work for your partner, you did, and then come back up."
With this advice, Campbell is reminding Boqvist to reciprocate his D partner by providing support first before joining the rush. In other words, don't flee the zone before the puck is safely transitioned out.
Campbell: "Patrick Kane will find you there. He will turn up and find you. I promise you that."
In this clip, Campbell is talking about Boqvist hovering between the blueline and the left circle as Kane curls up from the right wall up to the blueline to spot and feed whoever is at the opposite point.
General manager Stan Bowman also shared some words about the team's 8th overall pick in 2018:
"The really talented players seem to understand how to create open space and how to get to those open areas and find one another...I think that's why we've seen, you know, some of our players like Strome and DeBrincat and Kane, they have that ability to kinda understand without ever talking about it, where to go, and Adam is the same way."
Boqvist's rapid growth in this shortened season has started to put on display exactly what Bowman described about him: top-shelf vision and hockey sense to generate opportunities and get open for teammates.
Additionally, Boqvist talked about his willingness to commit to defense which Hawks fans are seeing at present and can be excited that he prioritizes taking care of his end first:
"We talk about how to get a better gap, and like sticks and just a few things. We know that I can play offensive zone, but yeah, I need to learn in defense zone."
In one exchange with Campbell, Boqvist said to him:
"Yeah, I don't want to be like moving when I do that...because if I, and then he spins out that way."
Campbell: "Yeah, but if you come in here like, and then you push him and then you keep jamming like that, then you got success" [covers Boqvist to immobilize him while jamming away at his stick and the puck].
That demonstration by Campbell is something that Boqvist has employed this season as a key element to his defensive arsenal, especially as a smaller player trying to jam up an opponent and knock the puck loose.
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Obviously, this featured video of Boqvist is an example of what the player development staff likely does with all prospects. Mitchell, Beaudin, Carlsson, and Kalynuk assumedly get the same treatment.
Again, this video was from when Boqvist was still a prospect. Nonetheless, the player development staff plus coaches continue to work with him in similar ways but just are able to see him everyday now.
Lastly, every single NHL team does this with their prospects and young players. The purpose of the in-depth review of this Boqvist video is to see where his giant maturation leap this year may have come from.
Regardless, there is much to be thrilled about and look forward to with Boqvist. He has the makings of a top 4 defenseman and possibly top pair. Could he up the ante and be a potential #1 for the Blackhawks?
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Roster Updates
ROSTER MOVES: Reese Johnson, MacKenzie Entwistle and defensemen Nicolas Beaudin, Ian Mitchell and Lucas Carlsson were re-assigned to the taxi squad and forwards Brandon Pirri and Mikael Hakkarainen and defenseman Alec Regula were re-assigned to Rockford. https://t.co/ohSSFHlATF
Like clockwork, the 8-player exchange between the Blackhawks and IceHogs reversed yesterday. This regular transaction can pretty much be predicted based on whether both teams play at home on the same days.
However, some of those 8 players could change. For example, maybe Beaudin starts for the Hawks while Kalynuk hops on the shuttle. Less likely but possible is say MacKenzie Entwistle in for Philipp Kurashev.
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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