National Hockey League Free Agency continued this week and there two interesting signings over the last 48 hours. On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers signed defenseman Adam Boqvist of Falun, Sweden to a one-year contract worth $775,000 according to Spotrac. Then on Wednesday, the St. Louis Blues signed defenseman Ryan Suter of Madison, Wisconsin top a one-year deal worth $775,000 according to ESPN. It is interesting that Boqvist and Suter have not won a Stanley Cup in their careers, but are joining a NHL franchise that has won the Stanley Cup in their last five years.
Adam Boqvist
Boqvist is joining his third NHL franchise. He previously played two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2019 to 2021, and with the Columbus Blue Jackets from 2021 to 2024.
In 2023-24, Boqvist had one goal and nine assists for 10 points in 35 games with the Blue Jackets. He was a -8 with five power-play points, 45 shots on goal, 42 blocked shots, 11 hits, seven takeaways, and 16 giveaways.
This past season Boqvist also had two multi-point games. One came in a Blue Jackets’s win. On November 22, Boqvist had two assists in a 7-3 Columbus win over the Blackhawks. Boqvist set up Boone Jenner of Dorchester, Ontario with the opening goal at 2:57 of the first period, and then set up Kirill Marchenko of Barnaul, Russia with three minutes and 32 seconds left in the second period. At the time, the Blue Jackets went up 6-1.
Boqvist missed an entire month of the season with a shoulder injury, and then missed more time later in the season with another upper-body injury or was simply has a healthy scratch. As a result, Boqvist did not play in 47 games.
Ryan Suter
Suter is joining his fourth NHL franchise. He was with the Nashville Predators from 2005 to 2012, the Minnesota Wild from 2012 to 2021, and with the Dallas Stars from 2021 to 2024. While with the Wild in 2016-17, he led the NHL with a +34. Suter has also been chosen to play in three NHL All-Star Games. He represented the Predators in 2012, and the Wild in 2015 and 2017.
In Dallas this past season, Suter had two goals and 15 assists for 17 points in 82 games. He was a +14 with 28 penalty minutes, one game-winning goal, one shorthanded point, 102 shots on goal, 111 blocked shots, 86 hits, 16 takeaways, and 30 giveaways.
Suter’s game-winning goal this past season came on New Year’s Eve. Suter scored from left winger Jason Robertson of Arcadia, California and Miro Heiskanen at 17:16 of the first period in an 8-1 Stars win over the Blackhawks. At the time, the Stars went up 2-0.
Suter’s shorthanded point this past season came on January 20 in a 6-2 Stars win over the New Jersey Devils. Suter set up Roope Hintz of Tampere, Finland at 7:58 of the second period. Like the game-winning goal, the Stars went up 2-0 at the time.
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