LOS ANGELES — When Adam Boqvist learned Thursday he was headed to the NHL, he was quite surprised.
Yet when the Blackhawks took the ice Friday at the Kings’ practice facility, Boqvist was among the bunch.
“I think I didn’t play super good down there [in the AHL],” he said. “[But] you know when the call comes, you better be ready. I think Duncs can help me along the way. It’s nice to be here.”
The Hawks’ plan is indeed for “Duncs” — Duncan Keith — to help Boqvist adjust to the NHL game. The veteran defenseman and the 19-year-old rookie were paired together in practice, with consecutive healthy scratch Brent Seabrook sliding in alongside Calvin de Haan, Slater Koekkoek and Olli Maatta also skating together and Dennis Gilbert and Erik Gustafsson looking like the odd men out.
Boqvist was also the lone defenseman on the second power play unit, which now has a very youthful flair — Kirby Dach, Alex Nylander and Dominik Kubalik will be centered by Jonathan Toews.
Jeremy Colliton said Friday’s practice lineup is “probably pretty close” to what the Hawks will use Saturday against the Kings, meaning the Hawks’ 2018 first-round pick will likely make his NHL debut.
“He’s a dynamic player, great skater and got mobility,” Colliton said. “Can be a benefit to us, and we just want to see where he’s at. You saw he’s got the potential to be on the power play and provide an element there, and the power play hasn’t been good [in recent games].”
Colliton historically has liked combinations involving Keith and a more offensive defenseman. Gustafsson has often been that guy, but he’s struggled so far this season; now, Boqvist will fill that role.
Despite the 17-year age gap, Keith and Boqvist developed the base of a strong on- and off-ice relationship during the preseason, and were talking regularly throughout the 80-minute practice, the Hawks’ longest of the season to date.
“I think he can help me a lot out there,” Boqvist said. “He’s been in the league for a long time.”
“If you have that communication in advance, he kind of knows what to expect and [we can] sort things out easier,” Keith added.
With Rockford, Boqvist’s defensive play was as inconsistent as expected. He identified his gap control as an area he’s been told to focus on, and Keith mentioned that term, too.
His athleticism and skating ability are clearly already at baseline NHL levels, if not well above that, and he’s probably never going to be a very physical player, so Boqvist’s development will be concentrated around improving his positional awareness and defensive stick use.
Keith said, speaking from experience, the lessons Boqvist learns about those things in the immediate future will set the curve for his growth over the coming years.
“When I see some of these young guys, it’s kinda funny, like going back in time,” he said. “The experiences that they’re getting now are going to carry with them throughout their career, so it’s important that they develop good habits in practice and off the ice.”
Few expected Boqvist to be given the opportunity to start collecting those NHL experiences this early in the season, and clearly Boqvist didn’t anticipate it, either.
But Colliton sees the rapid-fire development timeline as a risk worth taking.
“He was impressive to me, from summer camp to last year’s training camp to this year’s training camp, [the] steps he had taken,” the coach said. “So let’s see if he’s taken another one.”
