Blues' 2021 first-round pick getting opportunity to play on top line; scored in 6-5 shootout win against Ducks hoping to continue to build on late-season opportunities
ST. LOUIS -- With the St. Louis Blues still mathematically alive for the Western Conference wild card, there still has been a shift from playing a veteran-laden lineup to getting a look at the future.
One skater who continues to take advantage of those opportunities is Zack Bolduc.
With Jake Neighbours sidelined with an upper-body injury, Bolduc has stepped into a role as a top-line winger with Robert Thomas and continues to excel in whatever role the coaching staff puts him in.
He scored his third NHL goal 11 seconds into a 6-5 shootout win against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday and had an NHL career-high 16:37 ice time; he's scored twice in the past five games.
There are a number of variants playing to Bolduc's advantage and the offense he is touted to have isn't necessarily all anyone's talking about.
"It's just the evolution of a young player coming to the NHL and finding a place and where they fit," Blues interim coach Drew Bannister said. "I still would like to see the player shoot it a little bit more and we see on that first shift in Anaheim when he does shoot the puck how effective he is.
"I've just liked his energy he's bringing. For a player that has been tabbed as a skill guy, he's working, he's getting in on the forecheck, he's using his ability to put pressure on the puck. I've been really impressed with how he's adapted to defending at this level. That's one of the hardest things to do for a younger player and young skill player is to adapt to being able to defend. I think it goes to show a lot about who he is as a person, the character, how he cares about his game (and) he cares about his teammates."
