Adam Boqvist Producing At Forward, Earning Right To Remain There vs. Canucks

New York Islanders defenseman and part-time forward Adam Boqvist has been the definition of a team player since coming aboard. 

Claimed off waivers from the Florida Panthers on Jan. 31st when the team was bombarded with injuries to their defenseman, he played in 10 of the Islanders' next 12 games. 

However, with the blue line getting back to full strength, Boqvist has seen his playing time cut short, suiting up for just one game over the last five.

As if the Islanders' season hasn’t already felt like a complete rollercoaster, on two separate occasions, forwards have gotten sick the day of a game, which led to head coach Patrick Roy deciding to play Boqvist as a forward. 

In those two games, Boqvist has three points (0G, 2A). It’s no secret that Boqvist has a lot of offense in his game, but switching positions mid-season to help the team fill a spot in the lineup and produce the way he has is certainly rewarding for the team and Boqvist.

He had the secondary assist on Tony DeAngelo's goal against the Anaheim Ducks to get them on the board in a 4- 1 loss, playing for the sick Kyle MacLean as the fourth-line center -- he did not take a face-off. 

Then, in their 4-3 shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, Boqvist played as the third-line right winger with Hudson Fasching under the weather, recording two assists. 

His first was the primary assist on Pierre Engvall's rush goal:

His second was the secondary assist on Anders Lee's go-ahead goal in the final minute of the second, playing more of his normal spot on the point:

Not only did he have a good game as a winger, but he had the highest game score of any Islanders player:

"I thought he did well," Roy said postgame. "I mean, it was not easy for a guy who just had 10 minutes of practice (the morning skate). That's all he had. I thought he did really well."

The NHL has seen this only a handful of times (Dustin Byfuglien and Brent Burns), but to do it mid-season for a defenseman who has never played forward before is impressive to see.

Hudson Fasching, who has done everything but score -- he's played well and has certainly been a positive for his line -- only has two assists in 31 games this season. 

Boqbist has three in two games as a forward, with two goals and two assists in 11 games as a defenseman with Long Island.

When the Islanders battle the Vancouver Canucks on Wednesday night, should Boqvit remain in regardless of Fasching's health? 

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Joseph LaChase contributed to this story.