St. Louis Blues Select Zachary Bolduc 17th Overall Pick

The 2021 NHL Draft is finally here. And after the huge acquisition of Pavel Buchnevich earlier in the day, the Blues kept the excitement rolling in the Draft. In the First Round, the Blue have selected forward Zachary Bolduc from the Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)!

This pick fits the Blues M.O. very well. He is a 6’2” winger with solid strength and a rifle of a shot. He scored 10 goals and 29 points in 27 QMJHL games this season, the top on his team, and also wore an ‘A’ with the team. Bolduc isn’t the greatest skater, with his stance a bit too straight-up, but the power in his legs pushes him up the ice well. And while he might not be able to match the speed of some teammates, Bolduc uses strong passing and great awareness to control the transition up the ice. He’s mature and aware and, although some scouts worry a bit about the speed at which he’s able to make decisions, Bolduc fought hard to keep from being an overt liability.

But, at the end of the day, Bolduc is a grinder. He’s a big-body player with the ability to overpower opponents and force his way into the heart of the opposing defense. He isn’t neccesarily ferocious but he is powerful and determined. This ability to shove the defense back has worked well to help provide Bolduc with great time and space to use his shot, easily the best part of his game. Thanks to his generally-strong stature, Bolduc’s shot is a howitzer. His mechanisms are strong and fluid, adding an extra layer of accuracy to the strong shot.

Mathieu Sheridan, an OHL scout with FC Hockey, said about Bolduc:

“His shot is fantastic. His ability to create plays off the rush is also very good... he has a ton of poise with the puck on his stick. The biggest issue with him is consistency. He has the ability to make big impacts and make huge plays but can also sometimes stagnate out there... At 17th overall, you want a guy who can make an impact every shift and every night. That will be something he has to work on.”

Luiza Vidal, a top writer at Last Word on Hockey, added:

“He’s still young... he could be a big choice for the Blues if he can really find his development. He has a killer shot... [the Blues] just need to be careful with his development.”

Bolduc’s selection is a bit surprising, especially with such better goal-scorers, like Chaz Lucius, still on the board. But his size and strong, physical play fits into the Blues’ groove. He is mature with his play and has the strength to move into pro play easily. But can he find his consistency enough to make the Blues lineup soon?