The Boston Bruins waived Jesper Boqvist, Jakub Zboril and Oskar Steen on Saturday in one of their biggest camp cuts to date.
BRIGHTON, Mass. – The Boston Bruins announced forwards Jesper Boqvist, Oskar Steen and defenseman Jakub Zboril have been placed on waivers for purpose of assignment.
The trio did not practice with the team on Saturday. Bruins coach Jim Montgomery did not confirm at the time that they were waived, saying he had to meet with general manager Don Sweeney and the rest of the management staff, but he admitted there were tough conversations as the roster gets trimmed to the final opening night lineup.
“Today’s a hard day,” Montgomery said. “It just is, because everybody’s aware, everybody knows that we have to get down to a certain number at a certain point. That’s why I didn’t particularly love practice, but the expectation of human nature, it comes into effect.”
Boqvist, who turns 25 on Oct. 30, was one of the more experienced fringe players battling for a bottom six spot. He appeared in 70 games for a talented New Jersey Devils squad last season, scoring 10 goals and 21 points while averaging 11:36 time on ice. He’s played 189 NHL games over the last four seasons.
Like most of the new acquisitions, Boqvist was moved around the lineup to find his best fit, including up to the top six in some practices. However, he could never find his game, according to Montgomery.
“It’s always hard. Anyone who comes in new, you’re trying to acclimate,” Montgomery said. “You’re trying to understand how we want to play, and almost every player wants to do what you’re asking them. There’s not many that want to go buck the trend and do it– go on their own page.
“You’re trying to find their comfort zone everywhere off the ice, and they’re trying to find their comfort zone on the ice, and it’s a real short amount of time with the month of September before we start for real.”
Zboril, 26, spent 2022-23 as the team’s seventh – and sometimes eighth – defenseman, where he scored four points in 22 games. With the emergence of 24-year-old Ian Mitchell this training camp, the 2015 first-round pick has fallen out of favor.
The Bruins acquired Mitchell in the trade that sent Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks on June 26. Mitchell played under Montgomery at the University of Denver during the 2017-18 season, and was thrilled to reunite with his former coach in Boston.
“Just knowing that there’s someone behind the bench that knows my game and is comfortable with me,” Mitchell said on Sept. 27. “It definitely gives me some confidence every time I hop on to the ice.”
Steen played three games with Boston last season, scoring a goal. The 25-year-old forward couldn’t catch on and will likely return to AHL Providence, where he scored 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 64 games last year.