Mikkel Boedker, San Jose’s key offseason addition, will be a healthy scratch tonight for the second time on the season, writes Kevin Kurz of CSN Bay Area. The 27-year-old winger will be replaced in the lineup by Tommy Wingels.
Boedker inked a four-year deal with the Sharks worth $16MM after registering a 51-point campaign last season, splitting the campaign with Arizona and Colorado. The belief at the time was that the Danish winger would benefit playing with San Jose’s talented centers as Boedker never had anyone as good as Joe Thornton or Logan Couture to play with while in Arizona. Instead, Boedker has scuffled through the first half of 2016-17, registering just two goals and six assists in 38 games despite spending roughly half of his time skating either with Thornton or Couture, according to the website Left Wing Lock.
Consistency, or the lack thereof, appears to be Boedker’s biggest issue in the opinion of his head coach, Peter DeBoer, who knows Boedker from their days together in junior hockey.
“I know this kid and I know his character. My conversation with him was, heading into Christmas, he probably played eight or 10 of the best games he’s played here. Might have been our best player six or seven of those nights.
“He’s 40 games in, he knows our systems. He knows how we want to play. He’s been able to play that way and been effective for more than a game or two. He’s done it for a stretch. Now, it’s just consistently bringing that.
“This is a tough division we’re in. You can’t take your foot off the gas. We’ve got tough decisions to make every night, and we’ve got good players sitting out. I think that’s the message, and he gets it. I’m sure we’ll get a good response when he’s back in.”
It’s clear that DeBoer is still willing to give Boedker another opportunity to prove himself but his patience must be wearing thin. With three years remaining on his contract after the conclusion of the 2016-17 campaign, it will be interesting to see what the Sharks will do with the skilled winger moving forward. If he fails to turn his season around the team could look to move on but trading him with that much money left on his deal won’t be easy. The Sharks could choose not to protect Boedker and hope the Vegas Golden Knights take a chance on the gifted offensive player. Expansion clubs typically struggle in the goal-scoring department and they might be willing to assume some risk in the hopes Boedker returns to his 50-point ways.
Boedker just doesn’t fit San Jose’s system. His signing made little sense to me when it happened. He’s a player who thrives in a speed system and a lot of his production in the past has come on the power play. He’s seeing the 6th most PP time among Shark forwards.
Now, he isn’t doing himself any favours with his lack of shooting. He’s already registered zero shots 15 times in 38 games this year compared to 17 times in 80 games last year. He’s also barely averaging a shot a game after averaging around 2 per game the past 4 seasons.
I firmly believe he’s in need of a scenery change and I think he’d be a great fit for a number of Eastern teams. But regardless of where he is, if he isn’t shooting, he’s going to continue to struggle.
With DeBoer as his coach, he will turn it around.
It’s certainly possible and you can never count out DeBoer’s influence but that roster is so full of still capable vets who eat up most of the top ice time. Add in Young and talented players like Hertl, LaBanc and Donskoi, I just don’t see Boedker getting the ice time to get things going barring a mass amount of injuries.
His speed would be great in mtl since the habs have so many injured players right now. San Jose would have to take a bad contract in return, maybe tomas plekanec ?
The problem with Boedker is not that the Sharks do not play a speed game its because he does not shoot anymore. He gets in shooting position and passes or looks for the pass. 6th PP time on the Sharks because Pavs Couture Thornton are stars. Marleau and Donskoi are smarter players on the PP and shoot more than once a game. Labanc has finally found his groove and feel for the NHL so he is a better choice on PP. when Hertl is healthy he is another. Better option. It should not be surprising if you watch the Sharks every game that Boedker is 6th on PP time.
What i think doenst help him is that he plays on the PK when in the lineup or at least in the beginning of the year. He was brought into score not kill PKs so I think a little bad coaching.
In regards the Sharks picking up a bad contract Doug Wilson is too smart to take a bad contract along with Sharks being a cap team that would be a dumb move on Wilsons part.