The Bruins would be wise to keep this forward around.
During the 2023 NHL Offseason, the Boston Bruins quietly signed Jesper Boqvist to a one-year, $775,000 contract. The move made sense for the Bruins, as they needed more center depth after losing Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and Tomas Nosek.
Boqvist's beginning with the Bruins was not the greatest, as he failed to make the NHL roster out of training camp. From there, he did not let the demotion negatively impact his play, as he posted 10 goals and 23 points in 31 games with Providence. However, since getting called up in January, he has been a mainstay in the Bruins' lineup.
Boqvist, 25, has provided the Bruins' bottom six with more skill, speed, and steady defensive play since becoming a regular. In 43 games, the 2017 second-round pick has six goals, 14 points, and a plus-11 rating. However, his most important goal was his overtime winner against the Florida Panthers last game.
Noting how Boqvist's hard work has allowed him to land a permanent spot in the Bruins' lineup, they must re-sign him this offseason. The pending RFA is still young enough that his game can improve, which only helps his case for getting a new deal from Boston.
It will be interesting to see what the Bruins decide to do with Boqvist. However, given his improved play down the stretch, it may be a mistake not to send him a qualifying offer over the summer.
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