How Adam Boqvist went from top-10 pick to healthy scratch, and what he can do to get back on track

Five years after the Chicago Blackhawks drafted him eighth overall, Adam Boqvist still hasn’t hit his stride in the NHL.

That's often par for the course with young, developing NHL defenceman, especially those who came up playing on a larger surface in Europe. At 23-years-old and with five years' experience on North American ice though, it's becoming increasingly difficult to use those excuses for Boqvist.

The Blackhawks cut bait early, dangling him in the trade that finally induced the Columbus Blue Jackets to part with Seth Jones. At the time, Boqvist still retained some cache as a recent top-10 pick, but the subtext to such a move was obvious: We've seen enough, and now's the time to upgrade long-term.

So, Boqvist has spent the last two seasons in Columbus, scoring 38 points in 87 games, pl