The New Jersey Devils' speedy winger had a good feeling about this season, and so far, he's been proven correct.
The New Jersey Devils have been one of the great stories of the 2022-23 season: A team that has gone through the pain of a rebuild finally seeing the fruits of those labors. Right winger Jesper Boqvist may only be 24 years old, but he's happy to see everything coming together in Newark.
"It's been great," he said. "Previous years have been pretty up and down and I feel like last year we took some steps, but had some tough injuries. This year for sure, guys have stepped up, and it's been fun."
Indeed, the Devils have been one of the best teams in the Metropolitan Division for much of the season, and the team's first playoff berth since 2018 is almost guaranteed at this point. Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier have become the foundational centers that were promised when both were originally selected first overall in their respective draft classes, while Dougie Hamilton and John Marino have headlined a very effective defense corps. Vitek Vanecek has done his job in net, and youngsters such as Dawson Mercer and Jesper Bratt have been excellent.
And while there had been hope for a playoff spot last year, key injuries to Hughes and a number of goaltenders put the kibosh on any consistent success. But this fall, Boqvist could sense a change in spirits.
"Yeah, at the captains' skates before training camp, guys were flying," he said. "It was a high pace right from the get-go. You could feel it in the room; guys were ready to get going."
This is actually the first season that Boqvist has spent his entire year with the big club. In the past three campaigns, he always saw some time in the AHL - and even some games back home in Sweden with Timra at one point. Finding his place in North America has been a challenge, but one he has learned to embrace. It's perhaps no coincidence that his puck possession numbers have steadily climbed during that period, too.
"Before I came over, I was always an offensive player," Boqvist said. "I struggled a little early on, but as my game has improved, it's become better. It's not easy and it's a big difference from back home in Sweden, but I've always been an offensive guy. You just try to stay level-headed. If a play goes bad, you have to trust what you can do. The first couple of years, I struggled with that. I'm still young, but a couple years older and stuff like that is improving."
Lately, Boqvist has been playing on the third line with Ondrej Palat and Erik Haula, though he did get bumped up to the second line against Washington, putting him with Hughes and trade deadline acquisition Timo Meier. Getting the big Swiss forward from the San Jose Sharks was obviously major for the Devils, and it sent a positive message to the players.
"In previous years, we were selling," Boqvist said. "This year, a player like that coming in is huge for us. He's a weapon for sure. Great guy, great player. He can play fast, he plays a strong two-way game and he can score from anywhere. He's physical, too, and that was something we needed to add. He does it all."
Boqvist has always been known for his speed, and if there has been a calling card for New Jersey lately, it's that the Devils love to rush up the ice with the puck and pressure when they don't have it.
"When we're playing well, we're fast," he said. "It's not only that guys are fast skaters, but also that the puck is moving fast. It fits me pretty well, I'd say."
So far, it's been a formula for success. Now the Devils want to use that speed in the post-season.