Florida Panthers: Henrik Borgstrom Deserves More Playing Time

After becoming mathematically eliminated from playoff contention following a blowout loss against the Montreal Canadians, the Florida Panthers should allow rookie Henrik Borgstrom to play a more significant role.

The native of Finland was previously selected by the Florida Panthers with the 23rd overall pick in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

The Henrik Borgstrom selection was considered a “reach” by Dale Tallon, as a majority of draft scouts had Henrik projected as a second-round pick.

However, Borgstrom registered impressive numbers while playing in Jr. A SM-Liiga, recording 55 points in 40 games during his draft year.

The Cats viewed “Borgy” like a diamond in the rough, seeing how many teams seemingly overlooked the talented, yet unproven Finnish phenom.

Henrik Borgstrom would play the following two seasons with the University of Denver in the NCAA Hockey League.

Claiming that Borgstrom was simply sensational during his freshman year at Denver is practically a mere understatement. In 37 games with Denver, Borgy notched a remarkable statistical slash line of 22G, 21A, for 43 points.

Essentially, after only one season at the NCAA level, Henrik Borgstrom clearly established himself as a premier centerman and a “can’t miss” prospect.

The centerman improved upon his numbers during his sophomore season with Denver. While participating in 40 contests for Denver during the 2017-18 season, Henrik posted a jaw-dropping slash line of 23G, 29A, for 52 points.

Borgstrom’s efforts helped Denver win the NCAA tournament and earned himself tremendous recognition for the Hobey Baker Award (was a finalist).

After concluding his championship-winning season with Denver, Henrik Borgstrom would depart College Hockey by inking an entry-level contract with the Florida Panthers in March of 2018.

Borgstrom would finish out the 2018 season with the Florida Panthers, recording only 1 goal in 4 games played.

Based on his success at the NCAA level, the Finnish sensation was destined for a breakout season in 2019.

Despite being deprived of a significant role on the team by HC Bob Boughner, the rookie has still delivered adequate numbers in only his first full season at the NHL level.

In 47 games for the Panthers, Henrik Borgstrom has produced a satisfactory line of 8G, 9A, for 17 points.

While Borgstrom’s numbers don’t appear quite impressive, Panther fans should take into account that he’s mostly playing fourth-line minutes with lesser skilled linemates on a game-by-game basis.

With only three regular-season games remaining, Head Coach Bob Boughner should undoubtedly put Borgstrom in a position to succeed by providing him with top-six minutes.

If given the opportunity, Henrik can certainly showcase his remarkable talents which made him a first-round pick several years ago.

Furthermore, Borgstrom possesses a lethal wrist shot, which he’s used on occasions in order to beat NHL goaltenders in top fashion.

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Ideally, Borgstrom hasn’t truly had the ability to blossom into a star-level player with the Florida Panthers mainly because of the consistent lack of minutes he receives on a nightly basis.

Since the Cats have been officially eliminated from the playoffs, they should ultimately allow youngsters like Henrik Borgstrom the opportunity to receive more playing time. What’s there to lose at this point?

In essence, Boughner should play Borgstrom on the second line alongside Mike Hoffman and Frank Vatrano. Also, Boughner could potentially experiment with Henrik on the top power-play unit, as well.

Playing alongside AHL linemates will greatly hinder the development of Henrik, so it’s absolutely critical he receives playing time alongside higher quality linemates.

Borgstrom is a smooth skating centerman and can handle the puck exceptionally well; skills which suggest that Borgy will surely develop into a future star in the NHL.

Ultimately, the Panthers must provide their top prospect with a top-six role for the remainder of the season if they want him to eventually grow into the player they envision him to be.