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Drafting At #8 - Matthew Boldy |
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Last time we took a look at the small but productive winger Cole Caufield and since that time his status has only grown, with some expecting him to be selected within the top 5. Today we are going to take a look at another of the US college boys in Matthew Boldy.
Ranked #9 by HOCKEYPROSPECT.COM
Ranked #7 by FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS
Ranked #8 by ISS HOCKEY
Ranked #11 by MCKEEN'S HOCKEY
Ranked #9 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (NA Skaters)
Ranked #10 by ELITEPROSPECTS.COM
Ranked #7 by TSN/McKenzie
(courtesy of Elite Prospects)
USNTDP Juniors GP28 G17 A26 P43
U.S. National U18 Team “A” GP64 G33 A48 P81
USA U18 “A” WJC-18 GP7 G3 A9 P12
WHO IS MATTHEW BOLDY
Matthew Boldy joins the US Cluster of Hughes, Caufield, Zegras, and Turcotte. First off, the 6'2 192lb winger should not be looked at as a passenger on Jack Hughes line. Yes the big winger saw many games with Hughes but was also counted on to play most of this season away from the soon to be 1st overall pick, and still produced at over a point-per-game pace this season.
Going through highlights of Boldy over the season, both from his college games as well as the World Juniors, it's easy to see why he will be a top 10 pick in this years draft. I've looked at dozens of scouting reports and overviews of the young winger; many have described him as a play-making winger, while others have categorized him as a sniper with high-end puck skills. The answer? He's both.
Boldy wants the puck. He loves carrying the puck into the zone himself, he isn't afraid to try and carry it through the defenders (more on that in a bit) and he loves using his teammates. What I love about Boldy is that he does everything quick. His playmaking ability is strong and he prides himself on making quick soft touch passes to his teammates, often times through traffic.
His shot is something that is 100% NHL ready. Boldy has a wicked fast wrist shot, an accurate slap shot and he also loves to one time the puck, usually from just below the left circle. Boldy rarely dusts off the puck when he goes to shoot which is something I love seeing out of a young kid. In the NHL where everything happens so much faster, having those tendencies already is a great asset. While he does prefer that left circle area for his shots, Boldy also does not shy away from firing the puck on net from a variety of areas. One area I saw a number of goals scored by him was almost parallel to the side of the net. No area is too tight for Boldy.
Speedwise, for a comparison on the Oilers, I would compare him to Leon Draisaitl. Drai isn't necessarily the fastest skater on the ice, but he is a powerful skater who can get moving well on his first stride. Another positive for Boldy is he is not a pure north south skater, as he has a tendency to change directions and can always keep the opposing defence guessing.
Now the negatives. As with most young offensive minded players, his defensive game will always be his biggest concern. Before I mentioned Boldy and his desire to try and cut through the defense with the puck which of course will occasionally result with a poor giveaway going the opposite way. He was known as a defensive liability when he was 16 and 17 but it has been noted he has taken great strides in that area, specifically that his backchecking and pressure have actually become very solid. Likely he will never be known as a defensive specialist in the NHL but he should be a player counted on in any role and in any zone.
I'm not big on comparables but a couple of different names popped up that should get Oilers fans drooling on the potential. With his complete game and strong offensive tendencies, Boldy has gotten compared to current NHLers like Mark Stone and David Pasternak.
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A player like Caufield has been getting plenty of notice and praise lately and while he might end up being the most productive winger in this group, Boldy might been the most complete winger in this years draft. There are very few areas that Boldy truly struggles in and the fact that he is already almost 200lbs, he could be ready for the NHL sooner rather than later.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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