BPA is an great concept until it isn't the position that you want.
I tend to think of drafting for position in regards to the prospect pipeline and guys under 22ish rather than the actual roster.
So with that in mind, our best LWer after Kaprizov is Greenway and Dewar? Sure LW may not be our weakest position in the prospect pipeline but man that really lacks skill. So picking Boldy still fits the "pick for position" approach, which I am all for.
LHS forwards(mostly wings)I tend to think of drafting for position in regards to the prospect pipeline and guys under 22ish rather than the actual roster.
So with that in mind, our best LWer after Kaprizov is Greenway and Dewar? Sure LW may not be our weakest position in the prospect pipeline but man that really lacks skill. So picking Boldy still fits the "pick for position" approach, which I am all for. I actually personally prefer this approach over the blind BPA.
The more I read, the more I love it. How great is it to finally have another quality prospect?
Pronman: 2019 NHL Draft pick-by-pick breakdown of the first...Anyone have a scouting report on him? Is he more of a project pick, or how ready is he?
Minnesota Wild: Matthew Boldy, LW, USNTDP-USHL
April 5, 2001 | 6-foot-2 | 187 pounds
Boldy didn’t join the USNTDP as a top prospect, in fact, he was on the bubble to make the team. A sudden growth spurt combined with a great skill level spiked his prospect stock. Boldy is a unique winger in how he plays the game. His combination of puck skills and hockey IQ are among the best in the draft. His hand-eye coordination is off the charts. Pucks stick to him. He’s also incredibly creative and made some of the best passes I saw all season. I wouldn’t call him a natural playmaker, though; he prefers to play below the dots and around the net rather than QB a power play. While he’s a great passer, Boldy has a quality shot and was often used as a trigger guy from the slot. Boldy’s consistency was an issue this season. When competing hard, he’s often catching unsuspecting players on the backcheck and gets to the net to score. However, he had stretches this season where he didn’t impact games, and sometimes they were long stretches. His main weakness over the years was his skating. I think it’s improved to an average level, but he’s not a powerful skater and his stride could be cleaned up.
USNTDP U18 coach John Wroblewski on Boldy: “Boldy grew from 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-2. His development trajectory has been steep. He can be a power forward. He has excellent hands and vision. He can finish, he can run a power play, he can be a net-front guy. The puck is attached to him.”
Team Fit: In Boldy, the Wild get a prospect I am a big believer in. He’s an ultra skilled and intelligent winger who you could argue is ahead of Kirill Kapriov in the Minnesota organization. Boldy may need a little time to adjust to the pro pace, but he has massive upside and, in a thin Wild system, this changes the perpsective of their farm system significantly.
Under 22ish probably still includes Donato and Fiala, though Fenton has called the latter a RW.
And I'm pretty sure Dewar is a center and Kaprizov I know has spent time on the right side (not sure if it's him preferring it or just circumstance).
Just turned 18. He could spend 2 years in college, 1 year in the AHL, and still make his NHL debut as a 21 year old (and not turn 22 until the end of the year).
I don't think he's a "project" but we should let him do his thing all the way up the ladder.
I get that... I was just showing what I'm guessing will be the path.Just turned 18. He could spend 2 years in college, 1 year in the AHL, and still make his NHL debut as a 21 year old (and not turn 22 until the end of the year).
I don't think he's a "project" but we should let him do his thing all the way up the ladder.