DEFENSIVE PLAY

BOTH PLAYERS ARE OFFENSE-FIRST types and, as Erik Karlsson has displayed the past few seasons, the ability to get the puck in your own zone and turn it up ice is a pretty good form of defense. Scouts see Hughes as more likely to take on a defensive mindset. “Hughes is more willing to adopt a traditional defensive role than Boqvist,” a scout said. “He’s more accountable. He’s less stubborn. Boqvist will make the same mistake three times, and Hughes will make the mistake once and say, ‘Maybe I should try it another way.’ ” At this point, both players are inclined to be overpowered by bigger forwards in the defensive zone. EDGE: HUGHES