Prospect Info: At 17th Overall the Blues Select Zac Bolduc

[simon IC]

I just finished a 12 hr shift, and I am still processing the draft and the Buchnevich trade. I will say that from what I know of Bolduc, this selection is a bit "meh" to me. I don't love it, but neither do I hate it. I like the fact that he is fast, and I am glad the Blues realized that lack of speed is an issue and that they targeted someone with that quality.

 

[kimzey59]

Count me in the "don't love it, don't hate it" category.
I think there were guys with higher upsides still available; but I can also easily see him developing into a Perron type winger(although I hope he doesn't require the Pokemon style evolution that Perron did).
We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[execwrite1]

Let's hope Bolduc and Neighbors become solid top six forwards - soon. The re-birth of the Blues.

Was hoping they'd focus on defense first.

 

[Reality Czech]

I'm a long-time QMJHL follower.
Bolduc is a great pick for the Blues.
He's arguably one of the best pure goal scorers that the Q has generated in the last 10 years.
Very athletic and his attitude is second to none.
Good luck to Zachary and the Blues.

Thanks for your input!

 

[tfriede2]

Bolduc to be traded...to the Remparts, per Strickland

 

[BleedBlueForever]

He was invited to the Canadian Summer Development camp along with Neighbours

ROSTER ANNOUNCED FOR CANADA’S NATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM SUMMER DEVELOPMENT CAMP

 

[Mike Liut]

Bolduc sounds better and better the more I read. I think we got a good one. Especially if he can add 20 lbs in the next 3-4 years, which shouldn’t be a problem. Lift weights and eat more. That’s not hard.

 

[Stealth JD]

Scott Wheeler of the Athletic (giving the Blues a poor grade on Rd. 1):
Pick: 17. Zachary Bolduc
My ranking: No. 35 (change: +18)
Bolduc’s one of the kids I highlighted in my mock draft as someone who was likely going to be picked in the teens, even if I didn’t have him there. He’s a very well-liked player in the scouting community who has been a star in Quebec’s hockey scene since he was a little kid. He’s got a goal-scorer’s release, good overall skill with the puck, impressive playmaking instincts as a passer, and that sixth sense with and without the puck (offensively and defensively) that always puts him in the right spots. I don’t think he’s super dynamic though and probably tops out as a second-line offensive option, so this just felt a tad high for me.

 

[Appleyard]

Scouting Report: Zachary Bolduc - Smaht Scouting

Pretty in depth report on him from Josh Tessler of Smaht Scouting.

 

[Stealth JD]

Not loving the Tony Felton era to this point. Starting to get a 90’s-era vibe from our scouting and drafting.

 

[tfriede2]

Not loving the Tony Felton era to this point. Starting to get a 90’s-era vibe from our scouting and drafting.

I’ll wait another 2-3 years before passing judgment. I’m just not sure yet. We all thought Jarmo was God, and his picks were overall underwhelming compared to what we thought at the time

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I think Neighbours and Bolduc give off the same vibes: neither were labeled as like “sneaky” good picks by anyone, but everyone thought they were 1st rounders / early 2nds anyways. I think the fact that they don’t have any superlative quality is also part of it: neither are labeled as “the best x in the draft.” So I think that colors the perception of these picks a bit. But they also have a few other things in common:

• Very good character scouting. Both of these guys seem like genuinely good kids. They want to make the show, and are willing to put in the work / accept the coaching to make it. Rob Thomas was the same way, fwiw.
• They’re both tough to play against, more so Neighbours than Bolduc probably. I think that’s a good sign, bc people that can’t do that do not last long on this team. Also, we just traded Blais for Buchnevich, so those kinds of guys have value (and Army, for all his warts, seems to be good at maximizing that value on the trade market, a la Reaves).
• Most importantly, they’ve both hit their production goals. Bolduc has been cruising at or above PPG the last two seasons, which is phenomenal for a D-1. Neighbours was damn close to 2PPG for the majority of the season this year. That translates. They may not be the flashiest players, but they put up points at legit-NHL-prospect levels.

So I’m in favor of both. They’re not “sexy” picks, and they’ll both probably need some development time with the TBirds, but I think they are also both shrewd picks that are likely to work out. And I think the similarities between them are revealing about what our draft preferences are in the post-Barmy era.

 

[stl76]

I think Neighbours and Bolduc give off the same vibes: neither were labeled as like “sneaky” good picks by anyone, but everyone thought they were 1st rounders / early 2nds anyways. I think the fact that they don’t have any superlative quality is also part of it: neither are labeled as “the best x in the draft.” So I think that colors the perception of these picks a bit. But they also have a few other things in common:

• Very good character scouting. Both of these guys seem like genuinely good kids. They want to make the show, and are willing to put in the work / accept the coaching to make it. Rob Thomas was the same way, fwiw.
• They’re both tough to play against, more so Neighbours than Bolduc probably. I think that’s a good sign, bc people that can’t do that do not last long on this team. Also, we just traded Blais for Buchnevich, so those kinds of guys have value (and Army, for all his warts, seems to be good at maximizing that value on the trade market, a la Reaves).
• Most importantly, they’ve both hit their production goals. Bolduc has been cruising at or above PPG the last two seasons, which is phenomenal for a D-1. Neighbours was damn close to 2PPG for the majority of the season this year. That translates. They may not be the flashiest players, but they put up points at legit-NHL-prospect levels.

So I’m in favor of both. They’re not “sexy” picks, and they’ll both probably need some development time with the TBirds, but I think they are also both shrewd picks that are likely to work out. And I think the similarities between them are revealing about what our draft preferences are in the post-Barmy era.

I think the bolded is a really important aspect to the Blues organization and speaks to the type of culture we are trying to build as an organization. Personally, I'm here for it. As much grief as some players get for their "intangibles," I think attitude can be an important indicator of future success for a lot of younger kids.

Similar to the Neighbours pick, Bolduc was not really on my personal radar at all prior to the draft. Neighbours definitely excelled in his D+1 season and probably goes higher in a re-draft. Excited to learn more about Bolduc and follow his progression. Hopefully he can impress like Neighbours has!

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Awesome!

Blues select Bolduc with first-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft

Zack Bolduc got a handful of big welcomes to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.​

After hearing his name called by Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong in the first round of the NHL Draft, the 18-year-old forward then got a personal phone call from Armstrong. Then, buried amongst all the missed calls and texts from family and friends came a text from an unknown number. Turns out, it was David Perron, who lives about 90 minutes away from Bolduc's hometown in Quebec.

"He just said welcome aboard. He's just very happy for me," Bolduc said of the text from Perron. "I don't know him, but it will be an honor to meet him one day. I'm very happy. I'm excited to meet all the guys and all the staff… Really happy to be a member of the St. Louis Blues."

The Blues selected Bolduc with the 17th overall pick on Friday. He was also ranked 17th amongst NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters.
On the NHL Draft Class podcast, Jean-Francois Damphousse of NHL Central Scouting said Bolduc has the "whole package" - a great shot, good scoring and playmaking ability and he can play physical, too.​

DP57 ROCKS!

 

[AjaxManifesto]

Like this kid....

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

Awesome!

Blues select Bolduc with first-round pick in 2021 NHL Draft

Zack Bolduc got a handful of big welcomes to the St. Louis Blues on Friday night.​

After hearing his name called by Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong in the first round of the NHL Draft, the 18-year-old forward then got a personal phone call from Armstrong. Then, buried amongst all the missed calls and texts from family and friends came a text from an unknown number. Turns out, it was David Perron, who lives about 90 minutes away from Bolduc's hometown in Quebec.

"He just said welcome aboard. He's just very happy for me," Bolduc said of the text from Perron. "I don't know him, but it will be an honor to meet him one day. I'm very happy. I'm excited to meet all the guys and all the staff… Really happy to be a member of the St. Louis Blues."

The Blues selected Bolduc with the 17th overall pick on Friday. He was also ranked 17th amongst NHL Central Scouting's final list of North American skaters.
On the NHL Draft Class podcast, Jean-Francois Damphousse of NHL Central Scouting said Bolduc has the "whole package" - a great shot, good scoring and playmaking ability and he can play physical, too.​

DP57 ROCKS!

Perron has been classy since the day he was drafted by the Blues, even as a young immature guy he showed class.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

Scott Wheeler of the Athletic (giving the Blues a poor grade on Rd. 1):
Pick: 17. Zachary Bolduc
My ranking: No. 35 (change: +18)
Bolduc’s one of the kids I highlighted in my mock draft as someone who was likely going to be picked in the teens, even if I didn’t have him there. He’s a very well-liked player in the scouting community who has been a star in Quebec’s hockey scene since he was a little kid. He’s got a goal-scorer’s release, good overall skill with the puck, impressive playmaking instincts as a passer, and that sixth sense with and without the puck (offensively and defensively) that always puts him in the right spots. I don’t think he’s super dynamic though and probably tops out as a second-line offensive option, so this just felt a tad high for me.

This is a rather glowing scouting report in my opinion lol. I don’t understand the bad grade. This is a home run if he becomes a 2nd line forward. And most seem to think Bolduc has that potential. There’s really no debate about that. He has the offensive skills to put him on a 2nd line career path. I’m happy about that.

 

[AjaxManifesto]

This is a rather glowing scouting report in my opinion lol. I don’t understand the bad grade. This is a home run if he becomes a 2nd line forward. And most seem to think Bolduc has that potential. There’s really no debate about that. He has the offensive skills to put him on a 2nd line career path. I’m happy about that.

I read the write up and then the grade and laughed. Stupid stuff. These "experts" are given too much credit.

Look, I jokingly said this kid is DP57 junior at the start of this thread. His trajectory is uncertain, but one possible trajectory is that he works his way up to being a top line player later in his career (a la DP57).

He could also never materialize as a top line NHLer and bounce between the NHL and AHL throughout his career. We just don't know right now what his career trajectory will be. He's got the skills to be a first round draft pick, but there's a lot he needs to learn. And there's a lot that can sidetrack him along the way. I think much depends on his character. That is something the "experts" don't spend a lot of time digging into. I'm hoping the Blues scouts have a good read on this.

 

[sfvega]

I was disappointed, but not nearly as bad as last year. I didn't think Bolduc was the best value there, but he is a guy that I thought was our "type" of prospect. I liked him more earlier in the process, but thought some rankings slept on him as a 30+ ranking. Liked him a lot more than Ceulemans or Pinelli (who ohviously fell hard) and those big swing Johnston/Bourgault picks shortly after. But I do think with him taken ahead of Lucius and Svechkov, that we'll compare them for years to come. I'm still very interested to see how Lambos turns out. But Bolduc is a solid pick. I do wonder if he sticks at C. I think he has a good chance.

 

[Beauterham]

I was disappointed, but not nearly as bad as last year. I didn't think Bolduc was the best value there, but he is a guy that I thought was our "type" of prospect. I liked him more earlier in the process, but thought some rankings slept on him as a 30+ ranking. Liked him a lot more than Ceulemans or Pinelli (who ohviously fell hard) and those big swing Johnston/Bourgault picks shortly after. But I do think with him taken ahead of Lucius and Svechkov, that we'll compare them for years to come. I'm still very interested to see how Lambos turns out. But Bolduc is a solid pick. I do wonder if he sticks at C. I think he has a good chance.

I wasn't disappointed although I would've prefered guys like Svechkov, Lucius, Lambos or even would've traded down for Mackie Samoskevich. But in all reality, we could've done a lot worse: *cough* Montreal and Chicago. Think I had him between 20 to 25 or something like that. BTW, In my opinion Bourgault and Johnston aren't big swing picks, they got picked right were they should be. Bourgault had a good season while Johnston is also a really good player who would definetely have been in most scouting agencies 1 round list if there actually was an OHL-season.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

But I do think with him taken ahead of Lucius and Svechkov, that we'll compare them for years to come. I'm still very interested to see how Lambos turns out.

I think this is understandably the toughest part for many with the Bolduc pick. We’re not used to drafting as high as 17 so I think many, including myself, had hopes for landing a guy that could arguably have gone in the top half of the first round. A guy that’s not far off from having impact ability at the NHL level.

As it played out, there were at least 2, maybe 3 prospects available at 17 that would fit the above description.

We came away with a promising first round rated prospect in Bolduc. However, he feels like the typical prospect you can get around pick 25. I think our collective hopes were set a bit higher with having a bit higher pick than usual.

 

[Blueswin]

I totally agree that is how I felt! Don't you take the guys that dropped like Svechkov, Lucius, Lambos? But a couple of times we traded up to get Bokk & Tage & I am feeling kind of suspect if either are going to make much of a difference in the NHL. Did we trade them both before anyone else realized what was happening? By picking Bolduc I wondered if we could have traded down a bit as their were teams reaching for the two goalies.

 

[Majorityof1]

I think this is understandably the toughest part for many with the Bolduc pick. We’re not used to drafting as high as 17 so I think many, including myself, had hopes for landing a guy that could arguably have gone in the top half of the first round. A guy that’s not far off from having impact ability at the NHL level.

As it played out, there were at least 2, maybe 3 prospects available at 17 that would fit the above description.

We came away with a promising first round rated prospect in Bolduc. However, he feels like the typical prospect you can get around pick 25. I think our collective hopes were set a bit higher with having a bit higher pick than usual.

When guys fall it is often for a reason. Maybe we passed on those 2-3 guys for a reason. Maybe they aren't guys who will make an impact in a few years, and Bolduc is. Lucius, who is probably one of the ones you think could make an early impact, is not the best skater. That might make his transition to the NHL slower. If the Blues like Bolduc enough and missed the playoffs, he could have been a guy that went in the first half of the round. The might have been zero teams who actually liked the guys you are thinking about enough to pick them in the first half. Who knows ? (besides NHL GMs and scouts)

I think you are overthinking your disappointment. It has nothing to do with where we picked. We grabbed a guy you weren't as familiar with and skipped a guy you liked. That can cause disappointment with any first round pick.

 

[Halak Ness Monster]

When guys fall it is often for a reason. Maybe we passed on those 2-3 guys for a reason. Maybe they aren't guys who will make an impact in a few years, and Bolduc is. Lucius, who is probably one of the ones you think could make an early impact, is not the best skater. That might make his transition to the NHL slower. If the Blues like Bolduc enough and missed the playoffs, he could have been a guy that went in the first half of the round. The might have been zero teams who actually liked the guys you are thinking about enough to pick them in the first half. Who knows ? (besides NHL GMs and scouts)

I think you are overthinking your disappointment. It has nothing to do with where we picked. We grabbed a guy you weren't as familiar with and skipped a guy you liked. That can cause disappointment with any first round pick.

Lol easy there. I think you’ve missed all of my posts on Bolduc and read over some points in the one you quoted. As I’ve said, I’m happy with the pick. We got a solid 1st round rated prospect with good offensive skills. I just understand why such a solid prospect is getting a bit of a luke warm receiption on the forum.

As for why guys fall, it really doesn’t have to be for a skill related reason. All it takes is for every team to have one player rated ahead of the guy that falls at each pick. Every team has a different board.
Simon Robertsson might have been 32nd ranked or higher(1st round rating) on a lot of boards. But the teams that passed might have done so simply because they had a player in their top 31 available for 70 picks. Thus we got a 1st round prospect in the 3rd.

 

[bleedblue1223]

If the Reinhart/Monahan comps, even just stylistically are true, then this is a no-brainer to me. Sure, maybe you could've gotten him a little later, but if no one wanted to trade with us, or if we believed another team would take him, then you don't take that risk and you take that guy you want. Rankings for this draft were always going to be all over the place. Guys that could've shot up draft boards didn't have that opportunity, and guys that would've been exposed and dropped didn't have that opportunity either. Looking back on this draft, it's going to feel a lot more like a MLB draft where it's much more like a crapshoot than a sure thing.