Boqvist and Bouchard in tight race to follow Dahlin
While it would be a stretch to call the 2018 NHL entry draft a dull affair, we do have a pretty good idea of how it will start out. It’ll be Frölunda Indians defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at #1 for whichever team is lucky enough to win the draft lottery.
Then, with the second overall pick, current estimates say we will see a winger selected. Russian sniper Andrei Svechnikov was long considered the front-runner for second place, but an injury-plagued season has given forwards Filip Zadina (Czech Republic) and Brady Tkachuk (USA) the opportunity to play themselves into contention.
Due to a weak draft class at the center position it is likely that picks #2 through #4 will indeed be forwards. I say likely, because should a team starved for centers – I am looking at you, Montreal Canadiens – finish with a high pick and feel the need to go “off the board”, then perhaps a player like Oliver Wahlstrom sneaks into the top-4. Outside of such an occurrence, the top four picks are likely to include one defenseman and three wingers.
A race that is very much undecided is the one for first defender drafted post-Dahlin. At the forefront is exciting defensive prospects Adam Boqvist from Sweden and Evan Bouchard of Canada. While separated by a millennia – Bouchard was born in October -99, Boqvist August -00 – as well as the Atlantic Ocean, Boqvist and Bouchard do have a couple of things in common. They are both known for their offensive abilities on the ice, they both shot right and they both have the potential to be true difference-makers at the NHL level.
In terms of style, the flashy Boqvist models his game exclusively after his favorite NHL player Erik Karlsson while the sturdy Bouchard is more of a John Carlson type player with his slightly larger frame and more workmanlike approach to creating offense; making sure his passes are wonderfully accurate and his shots always on target.
“Erik Karlsson is the greatest defenseman in the world”, Adam Boqvist told NHL.com/sv earlier this season. “I wouldn’t say I have a favorite team in the NHL as it is difficult to find time to watch the games live. If I had to pick a team, I guess it’d be Ottawa as I enjoy watching Karlsson play.”
Rumblings amongst scouts have suggested Boqvist could be even further along in his development than his idol Karlsson was when he was drafted 15th overall in 2008, but that isn’t something Boqvist has spent even a moment dwelling on:
“I can’t say how good Erik was when he was my age but I’d have a very difficult time believing I should be considered better than him.”
Better than Karlsson or not, Boqvist has been considered a strong bet to be selected among the first ten players ever since the season started – with some rankings published early 2018 even placing him as high as 2nd overall. In Craig Button’s most recent rankings however, he’s dropped back down to 6th. Right in front of him at 5th overall? Evan Bouchard.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, Bouchard hasn’t been talked about as a top-10 pick for very long. Instead, he’s steadily risen through the ranks on the heels of an excellent season, captaining the London Knights of the OHL. Bouchard put up an astounding 87 points (25+62) in 67 games to lead his team in scoring, while at the same time beating out another talked-about defender in Nicolas Hague to lead all OHL defenders.
Along the way he also carved out a nice piece of history for himself as his 25 goals ranks as the 4th best total among London Knights defenders in team history. Speaking of London Knights defensemen, Bouchard’s NHL comparable John Carlson actually played for the storied franchise back in 2008-09. Former NHL player Dale Hunter, the only man to have coached both Carlson and Bouchard, definitely sees similarities between the two:
“They’re both offensive D and (Bouchard) is right there (at the same age),” he told London Free Press in January. “He’s big and strong. He can skate and shoot and he’s got a good head. The numbers may be there too. He’ll be right around there.”
The numbers ended up being more than there as Bouchard’s 87 points eclipsed Carlson’s best OHL season of 76 points (16+60) by quite a margin.
A battle of two defenders. One smaller in stature, the other more solidly built. One European, the other North American. One a flashy offensive defenseman, the other a reliable two-way defender with offensive upside. Am I still talking about the upcoming draft battle between Boqvist and Bouchard? Perhaps. The description certainly fits. It also fits quite well in the ongoing battle between their respective role models Erik Karlsson and John Carlson for most points among NHL defensemen.
We might never see a similar duel take place between Boqvist and Bouchard at the NHL level but, at the very least, the similarities make for interesting conversation.
As Bouchard and Boqvist prepare to be the second and third defenders to have their names called in the 2018 NHL entry draft, they’ll be looking to carve out their own niches and create their own legacies. Although if you had to pick career paths to emulate, you could certainly do worse than following in the footsteps of John Carlson and Erik Karlsson.