Adam Boqvist Getting Time Atop Power Play

Adam Boqvist looks to be the front runner to be the quarterback on the Florida Panthers’ top power play unit. 

Panthers head coach Paul Maurice said we’d see Boqvist in that spot when training camp first opened, and we got the chance to see it in live game action for the first time in Monday’s preseason game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Maurice said Boqvist “has the lead” on staying in that role.

First Look in Game Action

Slotting in with Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Matthew Tkachuk, and Carter Verhaeghe – the exact same group from last year’s top power play unit – Boqvist helped set up a goal Monday night when he passed the puck to Tkachuk at the top of the zone, who passed to Verhaghe, and fired a shot above the left faceoff circle that Sam Reinhart tipped in for a goal.

“He looks great,” Verhaeghe said of Boqvist after the 2-1 loss. “He’s so skilled. He’s really deceptive with the puck, he can fake guys out a lot, he looks poised back there. Nothing but good things to say about him. He’s running it really well. He’s gonna keep on going, I think.”

After losing Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Brandon Montour – who both held that role last year on their respective units – over the summer, the Panthers signed Boqvist to a one-year, $775,000 contract over the offseason to add an offensive-minded defenseman and perhaps skate atop the power play unit.

“When we come to camp, we gotta ask ourselves that question about every player: what are you good at?” Maurice said during Monday’s morning skate. “And then try to put them in that position as early as we possibly can, to assess it, but also it gives just a guy a place to feel good about his game. And he’s been good up top.”

Last year, the Panthers power play was eighth-best in the league with a 23.5 percent success rate. 

How He’s Fitting In

Maurice said Boqvist having a right-handed shot helps in terms of what side the power play likes to works off of. Ekman-Larsson was a lefty while Montour was a fellow righty. 

“The thing I like the most about what I’m seeing is the communication between the other players and the guy at the top,” Maurice said. “What they like, when they want the puck released, what angle they’re looking for tips.”

The 24-year-old defenseman has experience on the man advantage from his days with the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets.

“He’s so smooth back there,” Reinhart said. “It’s just getting a feel for each other. Trying to step with the right foot forward … just the confidence he’s shown. I think him being up there, being able to touch the puck and get familiar with us is only going to help with his overall game. It’s been a great start.”

The Panthers have two more games left in the preseason schedule. They will travel to Tampa to take on the Lightning on Wednesday and Quebec City for a neutral site game against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.