LW Matthew Boldy - Boston College, NCAA (2019, 12th, MIN)

[Hen Kolland]

Similar, but I think Boldy has better edges. He gets around the ice better than his acceleration would indicate he does.

From what I've read and seen, Boldy's skating has improved monumentally over the last year. There might still be some room for growth, especially if he can unlock the strength in his legs as he matures.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

This is my read as well. I'd be quite surprised if he falls past the Oilers. If he even gets that far.

I’m all aboard the boldy at 8 train unless Dach or turcotte drop.

I love the thought of a super charged Maroon playing next to mcdavid and/or draisaitl. Big body has some soft hands and skills

 

[cheesymc]

I’m all aboard the boldy at 8 train unless Dach or turcotte drop.

I love the thought of a super charged Maroon playing next to mcdavid and/or draisaitl. Big body has some soft hands and skills

Haha, he isn't going to be anywhere near the strength of Maroon in front of the net or on board battles. Best hope is like Foresberg if he can improve his skating.

 

[Pass the Saitl Sauce]

Haha, he isn't going to be anywhere near the strength of Maroon in front of the net or on board battles. Best hope is like Foresberg if he can improve his skating.

Meh of course it’s not a perfect comp, using a recent former Oiler whom had success and isn’t a midget and just went to the right spots on the ice, boldys offensive awareness and hands are leagues above maroons while thinking boldys edges in skating minimizes any advantage maroon would have in strength over a 26 year old boldy.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

How significant is the difference between his skating and Kotkaniemi? Virtually the same build, Kotkaniemi was considered a "decent skater" who could use improved acceleration and whose stride needed refinement. He was drafted #3 overall and performed at a nice clip in the NHL as a first year player with plenty more upside despite skating "flaws".

Kotka was known for is choppy stride on his draft year, Boldy has greater edges. Speed similar, Kotka might had slightly superior top speed.

Is there a real chance that he fall at the draft ?

No, I heavily doubt it.

 

[bsu]

His skating actually kind of reminds me of Maroon's that's funny someone brought that up, he is a better skater than Maroon but he still choppy like that.

 

[780il]

As we get closer to the draft, Boldy is a name that's really growing on me. I think he's the most underrated prospect that's supposed to go high in the draft. He's not flashy and doesn't have much finesse but he's quietly effective. He reminds me a lot of Matthew Tkachuk minus the mean streak and Draisaitl combined. No real holes in his game except for skating, which can obviously be improved. I think he's a very safe prospect that also has a high ceiling (30-35 goals, 80-85 points) all while being able to drive your 2nd line (from the lw) playing behind the superstars on your top line. He'd be a fantastic fit for the Oilers beside Nuge and would allow the best duo in the league to stay together on the top line.

He has size, silky mitts, a bomb of a shot, incredible vision/passing, sound 2way game, and brings some physicality. If he can grind on his skating in the summers he will be a very very complete and effective player.

If Turcotte/Dach/Zegras are all off the board at 8, he's my pick.​

 

[Aladyyn]

He does not skate well enough at this current juncture to play center imo.

Doesn't seem to bother the 1C of the Western Conference champions.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

As we get closer to the draft, Boldy is a name that's really growing on me. I think he's the most underrated prospect that's supposed to go high in the draft. He's not flashy and doesn't have much finesse but he's quietly effective. He reminds me a lot of Matthew Tkachuk minus the mean streak and Draisaitl combined. No real holes in his game except for skating, which can obviously be improved. I think he's a very safe prospect that also has a high ceiling (30-35 goals, 80-85 points) all while being able to drive your 2nd line (from the lw) playing behind the superstars on your top line. He'd be a fantastic fit for the Oilers beside Nuge and would allow the best duo in the league to stay together on the top line.

He has size, silky mitts, a bomb of a shot, incredible vision/passing, sound 2way game, and brings some physicality. If he can grind on his skating in the summers he will be a very very complete and effective player.

If Turcotte/Dach/Zegras are all off the board at 8, he's my pick.​

I very much disagree with this. He's probably tied for the most flashy of the NTDP players in this year's draft along with Zegras, and a lot of his game is finesse.

He also does have some power forward elements, but this idea that Boldy is a carbon copy of the Tkachuk brothers is not a good representation of his game. Thats what I saw last year, but after watching more this year, I see a lot more puck handling on the perimeter and a lot more flashy plays.

 

[MNRube]

As we get closer to the draft, Boldy is a name that's really growing on me.


If Turcotte/Dach/Zegras are all off the board at 8, he's my pick.​

He'd fit well on Edmonton or Buffalo.

 

[DatDude44]

Boldy is an absolute player. I'd take him over all of zegras, newhook, Cozens and krebs. and i'd have to think long and hard about turcotte....if turcotte wasn't a center....i may lean towards boldy. i know i know....i'm crazy....

 

[McFlyingV]

Boldy is an absolute player. I'd take him over all of zegras, newhook, Cozens and krebs. and i'd have to think long and hard about turcotte....if turcotte wasn't a center....i may lean towards boldy. i know i know....i'm crazy....

I don't think that's a crazy take at all. The only players you mentioned I would for sure take before Boldy is Zegras and Turcotte. There's concerns with all of the other players mentioned including Cozens and whether or not his hockey IQ is good enough when he can't just use his skating and size to run over 16-20 year old kids. Obviously Boldy's skating is a question mark, but I think at this point it is his only question mark. The rest of his game is great, he has the size, and if he can gain a step or two he could be the total package. Even at this point it is impossible to know if his current level of skating will prevent him from being a good NHL player even if it doesn't improve much. There's many examples of not very good skaters who have turned into great NHLers, Matthew Tkachuk being one of the more recent ones.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Boldy is an absolute player. I'd take him over all of zegras, newhook, Cozens and krebs. and i'd have to think long and hard about turcotte....if turcotte wasn't a center....i may lean towards boldy. i know i know....i'm crazy....

Same

 

[MarAlain MongYeo]

Sounds like this year's Farabee

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sounds like this year's Farabee

More offense, worse skater, not as good of a hockey IQ. Similar level players, but I think Boldy has more upside.

 

[canuckinfuts]

Thought he was gonna be there at 10 but now I'm sweatin'.

 

[Deam78]

More offense, worse skater, not as good of a hockey IQ. Similar level players, but I think Boldy has more upside.

How would yo qualify his shot compare to, say, Farabee?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

How would yo qualify his shot compare to, say, Farabee?

Slightly better. I don't think either are snipers, but both have above-average shots.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

How would yo qualify his shot compare to, say, Farabee?

I prefer Boldy's by quite a bit.

 

[bsu]

He will be a Duck now that Krebs got hurt imo.

 

[nergish]

Boldy is an absolute player. I'd take him over all of zegras, newhook, Cozens and krebs. and i'd have to think long and hard about turcotte....if turcotte wasn't a center....i may lean towards boldy. i know i know....i'm crazy....

I guess we must both be crazy.
Boldy is such a calming influence on the ice, always making smart plays, showcasing his skills subtly but consistently.
I like Turcotte's hands a little bit more, but Boldy is a crisp passer and cerebral player.
Vancouver would love this kid feeding Boeser and Pettersson.

 

[DatDude44]

I guess we must both be crazy.
Boldy is such a calming influence on the ice, always making smart plays, showcasing his skills subtly but consistently.
I like Turcotte's hands a little bit more, but Boldy is a crisp passer and cerebral player.
Vancouver would love this kid feeding Boeser and Pettersson.

Omg that would be an insane line. Yeah i like boldy a lot, if his skating improves he could be dominant at the next level. At the very least a skilled complimentary player a la T.J. Oshie

 

[Yoshidas Island]

Finishing 11th in the final list is a tad surprising, but will be interesting to see where he goes come Friday

 

[Llamamoto]

Finishing 11th in the final list is a tad surprising, but will be interesting to see where he goes come Friday

Personally, if the big 2, Dach, Zegras, Turcotte, and Byram are all taken, Boldy's my pick at #8 for the Oilers.

 

[Yoshidas Island]

Personally, if the big 2, Dach, Zegras, Turcotte, and Byram are all taken, Boldy's my pick at #8 for the Oilers.

Hope that doesn't happen
The Habs board has a pretty large consensus over Boldy's potential as a prospect. Most of us are comfortable with moving up once Boldy gets past 10.