Boedker has plenty of speed, but he went nowhere fast in his debut season with the Sharks in 2016-17. A closer look under the hood reveals a paltry point-per-game value of .32, even though the Dane started 55.4 percent of his even-strength shifts in the attacking zone. Boedker's failure to launch was especially maddening since he commonly served as the flanker to the Sharks' all-time points leader in Patrick Marleau (now with Toronto). To be fair, Boedker averaged only 14:21 of ice time per contest, which was about a four-minute dip relative to the 2015-16 campaign that saw him split time between the Coyotes and Avalanche. Team Teal wisely hedged against the possibility of Boedker not working out by inking him to a front-loaded contract last summer, though he does have three years left on the deal with an average annual value of $4 million. While he's projected to remain on the third line in the upcoming season, completely disregarding Boedker in the fantasy world would be ill-advised. In the right situation, he figures to flaunt the lethal offensive skill set that prompted the Coyotes to draft him eighth overall in 2008.
Speed to burn and 60-plus-point upside – that’s what you get with Boedker now that he calls the Bay Area home. After spending the first seven seasons of his NHL career toiling in the Arizona desert, Boedker was dealt to the Avalanche – where he managed 12 points in 18 games after coming over at the trade deadline – before signing a four-year, $16 million contract with the Sharks in July. The eighth overall pick from 2008, Boedker is one of the fastest players in the game and already has two 51-point seasons to his credit, so the potential fantasy rewards of the Dane lining up beside one of the greatest dishers of all time in Joe Thornton and all-around stud Joe Pavelski are juicy, to say the least. Savvy poolies will know not to put much stock, if any, into Boedker’s minus-33 rating from last season when he was still with one of the worst teams of the league in Arizona, so if your competitors sleep on the 26-year-old, don’t hesitate to pounce. Even if he doesn’t stick on the top line, guys like Logan Couture, Patrick Marleau and Tomas Hertl aren’t a bad consolation prize in terms of linemates, so the future looks extremely bright for Boedker.
The speedy winger was on his way to a second consecutive 50-point output last season, until a ruptured spleen ended his campaign after only 45 games. His production in that span was similar across the board to the year before, and was further buoyed by extra ice time and production on the power play. With the Coyotes in rebuilding mode, Boedker will be counted on to be one of the team's offensive leaders, likely skating on the first line and top power-play unit. If he can enjoy relatively sound health and get his shot rate back above two shots per game, Boedker should have a chance to crack the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career in 2015-16.
Boedker had a breakthrough 2013-14, charting his first 50-point season and scoring 19 times. That included five goals and 16 points on Arizona’s power play, boosting Boedker’s credentials as a legitimate second-line left winger. Perhaps most importantly for his outlook, Boedker nearly doubled his previous season high in shots on goal with a respectable 166. The departure of Radim Vrbata may give Boedker more time on the power play this season, and if he can improve on his shot total again, he could crack the 20-goal mark for the first time. Given that he’s only 24 years old, Boedker should be considered a Coyote on the rise in fantasy leagues.
Boedker fell short of expectations in 2012-13 despite tallying two more points (26) in half as many games as he had the year before. Expectations were high and Coyotes' general manager Don Maloney noted Boedker was the team's first half MVP. But he fell off the map in the second half, mustering just one goal and eight points in his last 22 games and leaving the Coyotes uncertain what path his career will take. The addition of center Mike Ribeiro should help and 40 points in an 82-game season shouldn't be out of the question for Boedker.
Boedker, finally healthy for a full season, notched 24 points in 2011-12, a total that nearly bested his 28 points in 2008-09. He became a hero for the team during the postseason and expectations couldn't be higher for him going into this year. If healthy, he should be good for anywhere from 25-30 points and maybe more if his offensive improvements continue.
Boedker began 2010-11 with the team's AHL affiliate before playing 34 games with the Coyotes. At the NHL level, Boedker notched four goals and 10 assists, but did contribute a plus-11 rating. He survived deep into training camp last season and will have another opportunity to make the roster in 2011-12, but even if he does, it's best to wait and see if he can translate AHL production into success at the game's highest level.
The Coyotes' first round pick of 2008, spent limited time with the NHL team in 2009-10. He appeared in only 14 games with the rest of his time spent in San Antonio. With the AHL club he scored only 38 points (11G 27A) and had a minus-19 rating in 64 games played. The Coyotes had high hopes for this prospect and each time he visited the club last season the coaching staff saw continued improvement with his game. For 2010-11 the time might right for Boedker to take a stand and realize his potential, but he will not be in the rotation among the top six forwards on the team.
Boedker jumped right from the draft into the Phoenix lineup as an 18-year-old and had 28 points (11 goals, 17 assists) in 78 games. It sounds like a broken record at this point, but, Boedker offers tons of upside, speed, and playmaking ability. With an entire year of NHL experience under his belt when most prospects are still in juniors or college, Boedker figures to improve on his 2008-09 campaign. Eight of Phoenix's top-12 forwards are under 25, but Boedker could be the best of the bunch, especially if he ends up playing on the right wing alongside of Lombardi and Doan.
The 18 year-old Danish skater comes to the Coyotes by way of the 2008 NHL Entry draft where he went eighth overall. He is the highest drafted Danish player ever. During 2007-2008, he played with the Kitchner Rangers in the OHL and scored 49 points (19G 30A) in 39 games. He already has playoff experience as the Rangers made it to the finals of the Memorial Cup and lost to the Spokane Chiefs in five games. A fast skater, he should be ready to play at the NHL level immediately and will most likely follow the lead of second-year players such as Peter Mueller and Martin Hanzal.
