The New York Islanders blueline carousel keeps on moving. They have acquired yet another defenceman within the last week. This is afree acquiring Tony DeAngelo last Friday and Scott Perunovich on Monday. Now, Adam Boqvist becomes the third, as the New York Islanders announced today that they have claimed him off waivers from the Florida Panthers.
Islanders Transaction: The New York Islanders have claimed defenseman Adam Boqvist off waivers from the Florida Panthers. Isaiah George has been returned on loan to Bridgeport.
— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) January 31, 2025
Islanders Acquire D-Man Adam Boqvist Off Waivers
Due to injuries the Islanders have sustained on their blueline recently, they were forced to be active. The 24-year-old, former eighth-overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks is the most recent addition. Boqvist has bounced around to a few teams early in his career, the Islanders will be his fourth team. From Chicago he went to the Columbus Blue Jackets, then the Panthers and now the Islanders. This season, the Swedish has six points (two goals, four assists) in 18 games. Over his six-year NHL career, he has totaled 81 points (25 goals, 66 assists) in 227 career games. This offensive defencemen was once a former top prospect who has struggled to carve out a regular role in the NHL.
What this Move for the Islanders Means
The acquisition of Boqvist means it’s the end of the line for defenceman Isaiah George. The rookie was sent down to create the spot. However, the 20-year-old put himself on the map but seems to have hit the rookie wall. He was taken out of the rotation in the last two games. With the Islanders needing to win games and stay competitive in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they can’t afford to play with five defencemen. Boqvist will likely see time on the third pairing where George was playing and can be used as a depth option. He could also see some power play time due to his offensive background and puck-moving style of play. It also means with all the defensive additions recently, Noah Dobson won’t be coming back anytime soon.
Main Photo Credit: Rich Storry – Imagn Images
