Wild draft Matthew Boldy 12th overall
The Minnesota Wild selected forward Matthew Boldy with the 12th overall pick of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Matthew Boldy
Position: Left wing
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 192 lbs
Age: 18
Club: U.S. National Team Development Program
Nationality: United States
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | 33 | 48 | 81 |
(Stats courtesy: EliteProspects.com)
A Boston College commit, Boldy is one of the most skilled players in the draft. He has incredibly soft hands and is a tremendous passer with great vision. He can finish, but shouldn't be classified as a pure shooter.
Boldy's speed isn't incredibly impressive, but for a player his size, his change of direction has turned heads. Combined with his ability to handle the puck in short areas, his game will translate well at the pro level.
Making player comparisons is a dicey proposition, but he shares many of the same qualities as Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen.
What they're saying
The Athletic's Corey Pronman outlined some of Boldy's weaknesses in his draft rankings.
"Boldy’s consistency was an issue this season. When competing hard, he’s often catching unsuspecting players on the backcheck and gets to the net to score. However, he had stretches this season where he didn’t impact games, and sometimes they were long stretches. His main weakness over the years was his skating. I think it’s improved to an average level, but he’s not a powerful skater and his stride could be cleaned up."