LD Samuel Bolduc - Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL (2019, 57th, NYI)
- Thread starter Ovechkin962
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He is progressing at every presence. I do think I will rise next season. Should be 2-3rd rounder event up if he is progressing at the same pace than he did last 2 years... Very good prospect... He will add another 20 pounds this summer... He is 6'3 210 right now at 17...
Did really well in the top prospects game off ice testing, can anyone speak to how he's performed on the ice this season?
Dominance
99-66-4-9-87/97
Can’t say I’ve specifically watched him play, but I’ll add on to your comment that he also performed really well in the Top Prospects game. Great aggressive physical play, skates well, carried the puck when he was given space and distributed it as well as one could wish. I bet there are a bunch of scouts making plans to head to Quebec as we speak.
Andy Lehoux
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- Jan 2, 2018
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In my first few viewings of him this season, he had a really tough time, but he has really progress since. His CHL Top Prospect game performance was great. If I had him going in the 6th-7th round not so long ago, I think he could push for the top 100 soon enough.
flamebird
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- Jul 28, 2007
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First and only time watching him at the TPG, very impressed, looks like a guy that could push the top 3 rounds.
Vachon23
Registered User
Vachon23
Registered User
Sport Testing Combine Showcases On and Off Ice Strengths – Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game
He had really good test !
He had really good test !
tony d
New poll series coming from me on June 3
He's having lotta responsabilities right now, major increase in his ice time since he is now the oldest dman on the team. He is averaging 1 point/game in the last 2 months. This guy is a solid swift mover despite his size and he is strong as an horse. His shot is deadly... Looking for 2nd or early 3rd. More than 20 team already spoke to his surrounding...
Mark Edwards
@MarkEdwardsHP
He was no secret, that's for sure. We've been on him all year and so have the team scouts. Blainville-Boisbriand is an easy spot to get to. I've already seen him about 6-7 times and the way my schedule has worked out I'll see him 3 more times this week. Teams get extra viewings of him while trying to see the visiting teams draft eligibles, which is why I've seen him so often and why I will see more of him later this week.
He's still extremely raw but has some good tools. I've liked him a bit more with each viewing.
I feel that Bolduc is a risky pick and I'm not the only one around the arena who shares this sentiment. His game has been progressing gradually and consistently, but it seems that he isn't passionate in hockey...
As for a little scouting report, he's a great skater, amazing puck mover with good hands that always allow him to penetrate the D and get in the offensive zone. His signature play is coming from behind his own net and dangling opposing players to end up in the O-zone. As far as physicality goes, he's almost invisible, unless he wants to be. At the top prospects game, he was very present physically but that isn't really the case in the regular season. If he tried 100% of the time, however, he'd be a potential 2nd rounder. Defensively he doesn't particularly stand out. He's a strong guy for sure, plays decent D, not so much else to say though. He has been using his shot much more as the season has been going on. As far as his slapshot goes, get out of the way of it or you'll end up with 1 less body part
As for a little scouting report, he's a great skater, amazing puck mover with good hands that always allow him to penetrate the D and get in the offensive zone. His signature play is coming from behind his own net and dangling opposing players to end up in the O-zone. As far as physicality goes, he's almost invisible, unless he wants to be. At the top prospects game, he was very present physically but that isn't really the case in the regular season. If he tried 100% of the time, however, he'd be a potential 2nd rounder. Defensively he doesn't particularly stand out. He's a strong guy for sure, plays decent D, not so much else to say though. He has been using his shot much more as the season has been going on. As far as his slapshot goes, get out of the way of it or you'll end up with 1 less body part
Despite my last post being very critical of his passion and passivity on the ice, Sam had a great end to his season. He took clear leadership of the Armada defence and was one of the best players the team. He was also given an assistant captaincy when Luke Henman went down with an injury in the late regular season.
Never once during the last portion of the season did I see any apparent laziness. Head coach Bruce Richardson seems to share the same sentiment as I in my last post, as in his post-season recap, Sam did, in fact, underwhelm him during the middle of the season. Bruce did nothing but praise Sam's finish to the season, however.
I can honestly (I'm trying my best to be impartial here) see Sam being drafted in the 2nd round, with top-4 NHL potential.
Never once during the last portion of the season did I see any apparent laziness. Head coach Bruce Richardson seems to share the same sentiment as I in my last post, as in his post-season recap, Sam did, in fact, underwhelm him during the middle of the season. Bruce did nothing but praise Sam's finish to the season, however.
I can honestly (I'm trying my best to be impartial here) see Sam being drafted in the 2nd round, with top-4 NHL potential.
montreal
Go Habs Go
With the way that Bouchard brought in his former players to Laval this year, I'm sure he'll be pushing for Bolduc since he'll spend just one more year in the Q.
Vachon23
Registered User
montreal
Go Habs Go
don't know him but if they do get him hopefully it works out better then the rest of his former players he brought to Laval this year.
Vachon23
Registered User
The former player he bring we player to play in the ECHL except Alain. Bolduc has alote of tools
montreal
Go Habs Go
Alain, Jevpalovs, Marcoux would have stuck but he struggled so they brought in LaCouvee on a PTO but he did so well they gave him an AHL contract and kept him the rest of the year. Adams-Moisan looks too slow for the AHL. The only player they didn't give a shot to in Laval was Melancon.
MMC
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SI90
Registered User
Just looking at this kid on Dobber. This is his latest entry in the 'Observations' section:
"January 2021 – Barry Trotz recently compared the 2019 second-round pick to Washington point-generating blueliner John Carlson. Bolduc’s former QMJHL coach Bruce Richardson responded by saying perennial Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman is a better comparison. Either way, the Isles hope Bolduc can resume his development soon in his pro debut with Bridgeport. The AHL is scheduled to begin its pandemic-delayed season Feb. 5. Mark Allan"
Those are some pretty lofty comps for this kid! I know former/current coaches can tend to over-rate their past and current players, but is this even remotely accurate? Has anyone seen enough of this kid to offer some insight in his potential. Everything i read is nice tools but still quite raw. It's a big leap from that to Carlson and Hedman territory...
"January 2021 – Barry Trotz recently compared the 2019 second-round pick to Washington point-generating blueliner John Carlson. Bolduc’s former QMJHL coach Bruce Richardson responded by saying perennial Norris Trophy candidate Victor Hedman is a better comparison. Either way, the Isles hope Bolduc can resume his development soon in his pro debut with Bridgeport. The AHL is scheduled to begin its pandemic-delayed season Feb. 5. Mark Allan"
Those are some pretty lofty comps for this kid! I know former/current coaches can tend to over-rate their past and current players, but is this even remotely accurate? Has anyone seen enough of this kid to offer some insight in his potential. Everything i read is nice tools but still quite raw. It's a big leap from that to Carlson and Hedman territory...
The Winter Soldier
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Interesting comparisons. Isles do seem to have good luck drafting D men. I don't know about the Carlson or Hedman comparisons, but Samuel Bolduc does have one of the better shots from the point. Maybe this is what the coach's were comparing. He's also fairly mobile for a big man. Interesting prospect picked in the 2nd rd. Could be a gem.
The Winter Soldier
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Though it is early, your post is looking like a good call Eegs. Bolduc is off to a good start as a pro. Leads Bridgeport in scoring with 2G, 3A, 5pts in 4 games this season as a 20 year old rookie defenceman in the AHL.
theVladiator
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- May 26, 2018
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I remember seeing Bolduc in junior, I thought he looked really good. Personally I noticed mobility moreso than the shot.
I think lofty comparisons from coaches/teammates are much less cringeworthy than run of the mill HF homerism. It's clear coaches/teammates mean it as encouragement, not nominating these guys for Norris, Calder and Hart. With that in mind I will say that I think Bolduc's mobility is possibly better than Carlson's already, but mobility is not Carlson's calling card anyway, so, as you say, the comparison is likely drawn to compliment the point shot.
For now, it's probably safest to project Bolduc to become a top-4 dman, which would be a great success for a 2nd round pick.
The Winter Soldier
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Thanks for the input, I noticed the shot more than anything, but your assessment of his mobility is nice to hear too. To play D in the NHL today, I believe mobility is vital. I know Trotz can teach the D part. With his reach and coaching, he's a very interesting projection prospect. His 2 goals with Bridgeport this year come as advertised. 2 bombs, one a slapper on the left side and the other a wrist shot from the off wing.
