Who is Dominik Bokk?
On Tuesday, the Hurricanes acquired Bokk, along with defenseman Joel Edmundson, in the trade that sent Justin Faulk to the St. Louis Blues.
Like with any trade involving prospects, it’s best to temper expectations. Unfortunately, we all know that’s easier said than done when you have a shiny new toy in your organizational toy chest. So what did the Canes get in 2018 first rounder Dominik Bokk? In short, loads of skill and upside.
The talented German winger was selected 25th overall by St. Louis after a stellar international junior career, and an over a point-per-game debut season for Växjö’s U20 team in Sweden. In his draft plus-one year, Bokk made the jump to the Swedish first division, posting 23 points in 47 games and finishing fifth on the club among forwards in points as a 19-year-old.
A bit of a polarizing prospect, there is no denying the offensive skill that Bokk possesses. However, he was among the more raw prospects in his draft year and still has some parts of his game to improve if he’s to reach his ceiling. Bokk is an above average skater, with a bit of a choppy stride that works best in small spaces. With the puck, he’s a threat to be a difference maker any time he’s in possession. His vision and hands border on the elite level among his peer group, and is and his shot is NHL ready. From an effort and defensive perspective, there are still some things to be ironed out. However, those attributes should continue to evolve as he develops as a prospect and gets settled in as a professional.
All in all, Carolina adds another viable prospect to their pipeline that has legitimate top-six upside if Bokk reaches his ceiling. He’ll play this season with Rogle in the Swedish top division, and Canes fans may see him in North America at the end of the Checkers season. Still years away from making an NHL impact, but a top-tier prospect to look forward to in the future.