St. Louis Blues top prospect Zachary Bolduc is making a strong push to play in the team's top six to start the season
St. Louis Blues prospect had a taste of what the NHL is like to end last season, and he's come into training camp with a clear message: I'm a full-time NHL player ready to make an impact.
The Blues added a lot of depth at the forward position in the off-season by bringing in Dylan Holloway, Alexandre Texier, Radek Faksa, and Mathieu Joseph. All those additions seem to have fueled Bolduc to come into training camp and show management that if they need a player to play in their top six, he's their guy.
The 17th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft has played two pre-season games for St. Louis thus far and is impressing the management team.
Blues Assistant GM Tim Taylor spoke with St. Louis broadcasters Chris Kerber and Joey Vitale in the first intermission of last night's pre-season game against the Columbus Blue Jackets and had high praise for the team's top prospect.
"Bolduc in that period (first) was finishing checks and on pucks. He's now understanding as a player that if you finish your hits, you eliminate that man from the play, and then the puck comes to you, now you get that extra (scoring) chance. He's really come on and has been playing extremely well." said Taylor.
Joey Vitale followed up and asked Taylor which Blues player he's viewed as a poster boy for prospect development over the last decade.
"Well, right now I can use Bolduc as an example. He turned pro for us last year and thought he would score lots of goals and assists and once we got down to Springfield, he realized it's all about checking and the next play. If the play isn't there, dump the puck, it's not about trying to create something out of nothing. But he's really exemplified the growth and maturity of a player," said Taylor.
Bolduc doesn't have any points in his two pre-season games to show off his play, but he's added another level of physicality and energy on the forecheck. He's not a big guy by any means, but appears stronger and that man-muscle is starting to come on.
Against Columbus, Bolduc had the opportunity to play with St. Louis' top forwards Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou. He did not look out of place and displayed his offensive intelligence by reading off his veteran linemates. He tallied six shots on net and had a couple of grade-A scoring chances, which he should have buried on at least one.
Bolduc's offensive play and forechecking aggressiveness have been a promising sight. However, there's work to be done with his defensive play and energy on the backcheck. He needs to show that same hustle when tracking back if he's to play consistently in the top six.
Regardless, it has been an extremely positive training camp for Bolduc up to this point. There are a lot of other Blues players who are also contending for a spot in the team's top six, therefore he cannot slow down now and continue to show he's ready to make that next step forward.
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