Bruins bring in Jesper Boqvist on one-year deal

The Bruins announced Wednesday that they agreed to a one-year, $775,000 one-way deal with former New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Boqvist.

Boqvist had 21 points (10g, 11a) in 70 games with the Devils last season. The 24-year-old has 55 career points (28g, 27a) in 189 NHL games. In 34 AHL games from 2019-2021, Boqvist had 12 goals and 14 assists. 

Standing at 6 feet, 180 pounds, the Falun, Sweden, native was originally selected in the second round (36th overall) by New Jersey in the 2017 draft. 

BSJ Analysis...

• This is pretty unexpected. Instead of Filip Zadina, the Bruins targeted Boqvist, another once highly-touted producer who just hasn't clicked yet in the NHL. However, the stakes of an early second-round pick aren't as high as they are for a former lottery pick. 
• Despite the extremely limited role with the Devils and the modest returns in production, Boqvist easily had the best season of his career so far, which could have also been said following last season.  
• In 2022-23, he tied a career-high in goals and fell just shy of the 23 points he had in 2021-22. He had the best 5-on-5 shooting percentage (15.87) of his career, up from his previous best of 12.68. His individual expected goals at 5-on-5 were 7.61, up from 6.46 in 2021-22, per Natural Stat Trick. 
• His 5-on-5 individual scoring chances sat at 85, which was 10 more than his previous high in 2021-22, and his 5-on-5 high-danger looks finished at 34, also 10 more than last season's best.
• All but one of his goals and assists in his career have come at even strength, considering his minimal roles on both the power play and penalty kill. 
• At this point, Boqvist is probably more of a winger, although he's officially listed as a center. He's capable of playing both the left and right side, and he's not strong at the face-off dot, having never won more than 39 percent of his draws in a single season. 

• Boqvist also had the best underlying numbers of his career last year, too. 
• The Devils controlled 52.22 percent of 5-on-5 shot attempts with him on the ice, as well as 52.3 percent of actual shots on goal. 
• New Jersey was plus-9 (33-24; 57.89 percent) in addition to holding a 54.41 percent share of expected goals with Boqvist on at 5-on-5. High-danger goals were also plus-5 (21-16; 56.76 percent) for the Devils. 
• Scoring chances were 53.47 percent (53.24 percent) in New Jersey's favor with him on the ice at 5-on-5 as well. 
• It's not the first time the Bruins have gone bargain shopping in New Jersey. Last year's deal for Pavel Zacha, who Boqvist has lined up alongside in the past, has paid off in a big way, so far. 
• While Boqvist has clearly been on a bit of a slow burn, he's still trending up. I struggle to believe there's a crazy amount of upside still here, but if anything, it's more versatile depth to compete for a roster spot, which I guess you can never have too much of. If he pops, then the Bruins will be lauded as geniuses. If not, well you'll probably hardly notice him. 
• Can't imagine there are any other additions the Bruins can make on the open market right now. CapFriendly has them with $5.4 million and change in remaining cap space. Jeremy Swayman and Trent Frederic remain unsigned, as do Alec Regula, Reilly Walsh and Michael DiPietro. Although, the latter three should have hardly any impact on the salary cap.