Prospect Info: Matthew Boldy, Left Winger, 12th Overall

[57special]

From Russo's article:

“First guy on the ice every single day. That’s without question,” the coach said. “He shows up every single day, first guy on the ice. So he’ll sprint out of the weight room and then he’ll be in his equipment before you know it and he’s asking (assistant coach) Dan Hinote for one-timers and everything else.
“I can’t tell you enough the unique skill set that he has. The physical attributes are all there and then he’s got this innate work ethic that derives somewhere between his father being a Massachusetts state trooper and him just being so confident.”

I wonder if the coach says the same thing about every single one of his players.for once, I'd love to hear one say, " he'd be even better if he stopped playing Fortnite and got to practice on time."

Ha! Fremitus B. beat me to it.

 

[tyratoku]

I don't really follow these players pre-draft that much and know basically nothing about Boldy (the only concrete opinion I was comfortable having this year is that Kakko is and will be better than Hughes - so the Devils once again picked the wrong player 1st overall), but the thing I'm more interested in is just drafting in general. And in terms of the trends around drafting, the one thing that immediately jumped to me is how stacked the USNTDP was this year. There ended up being like seven or something players drafted from there in the 1st round.

That raises some questions to me. When you have a super strong team like that, often playing against weak competition, it can be really difficult to recognize who actually are the drivers there and who are the passengers. The weaknesses of players can become really well hidden in an environment like that. So I'm really curious to see how many of these guys drafted from that team will actually make it as impact players in the NHL. Have a feeling we're going to seeing some busts.

If I'm not mistaken Boldy will join McBain (from last draft) in Boston College next season? Based on last season McBain looks like bust, but still them playing on the same team is cool I guess. They will probably be a better team next season too so maybe they could both have productive seasons.

Well a lot of these players have been scouted for years, even before they played on this current team. Boldy, for example, hardly played with Hughes all of the 2017-2018 season. Plus, this year had unfortunate injuries for Turcotte, which affected the entire lineup and in order to balance scoring he played with both Zegras and Hughes at times, and then again with Turcotte when he came back.

They might do well against the USHL competition and that would be it, but these players played in international tournaments at the U18s, some at the U20s, at camps with peers, and so on. With the nature of the draft you'll see some busts, sure, but discrediting the players because of the team around them seems a bit silly.

Not quite as silly as writing off Jack McBain, one of only a handful of true freshman centers at the NCAA level last season, who was adjusting to a new team, new style of play, a new country of living, and a variety of other factors, but that can wait I suppose.

 

[AJ Thelen]

Not that it matters at all, but i'm just curious.

With #9 most likely to be retired and #19 being taken by Kunin, i wonder what # he would wear..

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

I too think that he has the skills for it. But if he is going to play wing again in BC, it might be hard for him to be as effective as a center than as a winger once he gets to the nhl. Even if he has played center before, 4 ish years is a long time to not to play the position.

So what is BC's center depth like? Thinking if he has a chance to play as a center there.

BC has no centers this year. Newhook will go there next year, but how funny would it be if they stick boldy down the middle and newhook on his wing?

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Not that it matters at all, but i'm just curious.

With #9 most likely to be retired and #19 being taken by Kunin, i wonder what # he would wear..

91

 

[StateofCelly]

Not that it matters at all, but i'm just curious.

With #9 most likely to be retired and #19 being taken by Kunin, i wonder what # he would wear..

I am weird but I really want to see someone in this franchise wear number 13. People that are superstitious hate it.. just one of those numbers. We have never had one and maybe that is our curse haha

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Until a month or so ago, a lot of scouts had Boldy in the #3 conversation. Pronman also said how he’s heard from a lot of scouts that think boldy is the 3rd best prospect in this draft. Should be fun to follow

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

Can you imagine if we rank next year and add a lundell or Byfield how good of a position we’d be in? Of course that would probably be the year we win the lottery and select Lafrienere.

 

[MNRube]

So we think Boldy comes after next year with Kaprizov?

 

[absolute garbage]

They might do well against the USHL competition and that would be it, but these players played in international tournaments at the U18s, some at the U20s, at camps with peers, and so on. With the nature of the draft you'll see some busts, sure, but discrediting the players because of the team around them seems a bit silly.

I wouldn't say I'm discrediting them. I'm just saying it can be difficult to separate the drivers from the passengers and see the weaknesses when you have such a dominating group that plays together so much. It's a legit consideration.

Latest great example of this was in 2016 with Juolevi. He played in absolutely stacked London and Finnish teams, won everything that was possible to win, was ranked high and got drafted high, and then next season with the environment changing huge flaws showed up in his game, he got passed over by 4th rounders and currently he looks like a bust. The flaws were of course always there, it's just that they never showed because his teams were so good.

Not quite as silly as writing off Jack McBain, one of only a handful of true freshman centers at the NCAA level last season, who was adjusting to a new team, new style of play, a new country of living, and a variety of other factors, but that can wait I suppose.

Players drafted where McBain was drafted have around 10% chance of becoming impact NHL players. So the ones part of that 10% will inherently be the ones massively exceeding expectations. Scoring 13 points in 35 games in the NCAA in D+1 season is certainly not part of that 10%, and generally speaking the prognosis of a prospect with those kind of numbers is... not great. Generally speaking players who exceed expectations and are part of that 10% fight through all those sort of excuses and still do well. Not saying surprises can't happen of course. But it seems a bit of a long shot as of now.

 

[MNRube]

Can you imagine if we rank next year and add a lundell or Byfield how good of a position we’d be in? Of course that would probably be the year we win the lottery and select Lafrienere.

This is what we need. Of course by that point, the blueline will start to become a concern. If Suter slows down or one of Brodin/Dumba/Spurgeon gets hurt we are done as a team.

 

[Bazeek]

So we think Boldy comes after next year with Kaprizov?

He'd have to have a scorching freshman year at BC, but I don't think that's impossible.

 

[AJ Thelen]

So we think Boldy comes after next year with Kaprizov?

Don't know, but the last thing i wanna do is rush him.

 

[MNRube]

Don't know, but the last thing i wanna do is rush him.

I had heard he was close to NHL-ready. Thats why so many people thought EDM or BUF would select him...quick help for McDavid and Eichel. Could be wrong....

 

[Bazeek]

I had heard he was close to NHL-ready. Thats why so many people thought EDM or BUF would select him...quick help for McDavid and Eichel. Could be wrong....

My layman's impression is that it's a question of how long it'll take his skating to catch up with his growth spurt. It sounds like he's got great work ethic, so if he puts the time in this summer and comes into school with his skating rounded out? I honestly don't know what would be holding him back. He's already got the size, the brains and the hands.

I would expect him to spend at least some time in Des Moines though, even if it's just on principle. If Fenton's serious about "the road to Minnesota running through Iowa" then Boldy seems like a good guy to cast the mold with. High end skill, high end character.

 

[2Pair]

My layman's impression is that it's a question of how long it'll take his skating to catch up with his growth spurt. It sounds like he's got great work ethic, so if he puts the time in this summer and comes into school with his skating rounded out? I honestly don't know what would be holding him back. He's already got the size, the brains and the hands.

I would expect him to spend at least some time in Des Moines though, even if it's just on principle. If Fenton's serious about "the road to Minnesota running through Iowa" then Boldy seems like a good guy to cast the mold with. High end skill, high end character.

Guys like Boldy don't play in the AHL

 

[Bazeek]

Guys like Boldy don't play in the AHL

You could be right It's not like they're going to insist Kaprizov play a game there on principle or anything.

 

[Saga of the Elk]

It wouldn't be crazy at all for Boldy to do a college season, then spend a dozen games in Iowa "earning it." All depends if he continues his positive progress. Kaprizov is a different case both due to age and prior pro experience - even setting aside skill level and the contract issues.

 

[16thOverallSaveUs]

So we think Boldy comes after next year with Kaprizov?

I think it’s very possible, though Fenton does constantly say that the road to Minnesota is through Iowa.

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

I don't really follow these players pre-draft that much and know basically nothing about Boldy (the only concrete opinion I was comfortable having this year is that Kakko is and will be better than Hughes - so the Devils once again picked the wrong player 1st overall), but the thing I'm more interested in is just drafting in general. And in terms of the trends around drafting, the one thing that immediately jumped to me is how stacked the USNTDP was this year. There ended up being like seven or something players drafted from there in the 1st round.

That raises some questions to me. When you have a super strong team like that, often playing against weak competition, it can be really difficult to recognize who actually are the drivers there and who are the passengers. The weaknesses of players can become really well hidden in an environment like that. So I'm really curious to see how many of these guys drafted from that team will actually make it as impact players in the NHL. Have a feeling we're going to seeing some busts.

If I'm not mistaken Boldy will join McBain (from last draft) in Boston College next season? Based on last season McBain looks like bust, but still them playing on the same team is cool I guess. They will probably be a better team next season too so maybe they could both have productive seasons.

Unless I'm remembering wrong, before the U18's, people were criticizing the USNTDP coach for "spreading the wealth" too much around the lineup. Part of that was that Boldy was by himself (not with Turcotte or Hughes) on the 3rd line. He still played with them on the PP, but at even strength he would've been relied upon to drive his line.

 

[a79krgm]

Anybody going to the prospect practices next week? Will Boldy be there?

 

[thestonedkoala]

Anybody going to the prospect practices next week? Will Boldy be there?

If I remember correctly, generally college prospects don't make it. Though I can't remember if it is the tournaments, practices or whatnot as they have to pay for them themselves.

 

[Mancini79]

The team that couldn't develop Coyle, el Nino, Eriksson-Ek, Kunin as nothing more than depth players is known for developing offensive talent.

Kunin is gonna be a rockstar.

 

[StateofCelly]

If I remember correctly, generally college prospects don't make it. Though I can't remember if it is the tournaments, practices or whatnot as they have to pay for them themselves.

I will be there, and lots of the college prospects make it. Tuch was there, Kunin was there, Duhaime was there, Greenway was there... It is often that some of the KHL, Swedish players don't make it but more and more are still coming over for the camp.

 

[2Pair]

If I remember correctly, generally college prospects don't make it. Though I can't remember if it is the tournaments, practices or whatnot as they have to pay for them themselves.

Most of the college guys usually attend the minicamp but don't play at Traverse city