Anaheim Ducks Draft Profile: Don’t Rest on Matthew Boldy

Selecting 9th overall puts the Anaheim Ducks in the unfortunate position of missing out on a ton of great prospects. However, don’t rest on Matthew Boldy just yet.

After the 2018-19 season, Ducks Nation was stretched thin. Experiencing heartbreak after heartbreak, we witnessed the Anaheim Ducks set their season ablaze. When the NHL Draft Lottery rolled around, the season of suffering seemed as though it may turn a corner. The 8th overall selection wasn’t ideal, but it still put them in a decent position to draft a blue chip prospect.

However, when the 9th overall card was flipped to reveal the webbed D logo Anaheim Ducks fans have grown too familiar with, a black cloud settled over the fanbase. Falling one spot in the draft doesn’t seem like a big deal, but sometimes that means the difference between drafting a player the team needs and settling for second best.

The Anaheim Ducks currently have a fantastic pool of prospects that have already started the process of building an incredible future for the franchise. However, the final piece to their puzzle is missing. The Ducks haven’t had the esteemed privilege to draft players of a similar caliber to Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Mitch Marner, or Jack Eichel, and although the path to get there is a brutal one to travel, this season finally seemed like the year they would finally be able to draft that franchise changing player.

Will the Anaheim Ducks Be Forced to Settle for a Consolation Prize?

Over the past few weeks, we have looked at several prospects ranked high in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft that the Anaheim Ducks could potentially take should they be in the position to draft in the Top 10. It is imperative that they begin the hunt for Ryan Getzlaf‘s successor, but Bob Murray has made it clear that he will take the best player available with his first three draft picks and fill the needs from there.

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While drafting a center would be ideal, it’s not the end of the world should Murray and co. draft a winger or a defenseman. Still, the Ducks are very heavy on the wing, and while a few of their players will make their timely exit in the seasons to follow, drafting too many more left wing or right wing players just adds to the overflow.

Nevertheless, the prospect of Jack Hughes, Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, Trevor Zegras, Alex Turcotte, and Peyton Krebs all being drafted before the 9th overall selection grows exponentially higher the closer we get to the draft. The pool of elite centers is likely to be dried up by the time the Ducks draft 9th overall. So, what do the Anaheim Ducks do? If the prospects they need are taken by higher drafting teams, is a consolation prize in their future?

Matthew Boldy, LW, U.S. National U18 Team

Our final candidate for the Anaheim Ducks 9th overall draft pick is Matthew Boldy. Is he the ideal candidate for Bob Murray to use the first of their first-round draft picks on? Unfortunately, the answer is no. It isn’t that Boldy isn’t a good hockey player, because he is, and we will get into that.

Nevertheless, he isn’t the player the Ducks need. At this point in his career, he’s basically the generic version of Max Jones with potentially a little more scoring touch. Why would you want to buy the generic brand when you already have the name brand in the cupboard?

However, should Bob Murray see Boldy as the best choice possible, it should not be counted as another defeat for the Anaheim Ducks. There is still plenty to look forward to should Matthew Bodly become a Duck on Friday, June 21, 2019.

In September, Boldy was ranked 25th overall and has skyrocketed to between 9th-10th over the past few months. While he hasn’t had the highest rise out of all the of the prospects, that title belongs to Cole Caufield, that still shows that he should be a desirable prospect to the teams drafting in the Top 10.

It is rare to say this of a winger of only 18 years of age, but Boldy plays an almost flawless game. Playing in the shadow of players like Jack Hughes, Cole Caufield, and Trevor Zegras has more than likely caused his stock to fall. However, his 81 point season with the U.S. National U18 Team, including 33 goals and 48 assists, is evidence that he can match the pace of players that are more highly touted than himself. It is also clear evidence that the young winger has a nose for the net and is more than capable of setting up his teammates for the goal.

While he is committed to the University of Boston (NCAA) for the next four seasons, the 6’2”, 192lb, the left wing has the size and body to be ready for the NHL in the very near future. His size makes him a powerful skater, something the Ducks currently lack on their roster, but he still remains poised on his feet.

An admirable quality that Boldy possesses is his altruistic attitude on the ice. While he is more than willing to put the puck in the back of the net, he is unwilling to stand in the limelight himself. He supports and encourages his teammates, and makes sure they have equal opportunity. His selfless character and strong moral compass are what made him a great leader and a prime candidate as one of the alternate captains for the U.S. Nations U18 Team this past season.

One quality that makes him extremely desirable as a potential draft pick for the Anaheim Ducks is his ability to be a threat on the power-play. The Ducks special teams, especially the power play, need an overhaul. While it is very unlikely Boldy would join the roster right away, seeing as how it is already cramped, he is committed to the NCAA, and he needs a little more development before being NHL ready, thinking of the future is always smart.

His incredible hockey IQ paired with his problem solving abilities give him the ability to easily shake up his opponents, making things easier for himself and his teammates. Boldy also has the ability to adapt to almost any situation, which is another reason he will be such a desirable prospect for teams drafting in the second half of the Top 10.

Boldy’s only real downfall is his defensive game. However, he has taken great strides this past season to really work and develop himself into a player that can work hard in all three zones. If he works hard, he could have the potential to be a Top 6 winger in the NHL in the not so distant future.

Comparison: “Poor man’s” Mark Stone or Brady Tkachuk (minus being a pest.)

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