Boston College

[EmptyShelf]

If you have time to watch St. Cloud State and Boston College, it is a bit of a preview of some Wild prospects:  Boldy, McBain, Nesterenko, Marshall; and the Newhooks, Kinghts, and others for other NHL Teams.  Three first rounders overall, and some 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th rounders.

 

Just a comment on early play from Boldy and McBain.  They are big, tall players, who seem to have really good hands.  Boldy skates better than I thought he would, and keep in mind that he is out there at times with Alex Newhook, whom the announcers said; 'is one of the fastest skaters in all of college hockey.'  I like what I have seen so far of Boldy and McBain versus the last time I saw them play.  They look like solid picks with a different body-type than we traditionally draft - tall, long reach, and look like they could add 15-20 lbs quite easily.   Lots of talent on this BC Team.

[EmptyShelf]

Ooops.  And Sam Hentges on St. Cloud (whom my son knows - nice player too).

[Brewin Flames]

Newhook was all over the ice, imo, easily the most noticeable player out there...

[CreaseAndAssist]

(sigh)  Newhook is the player the Wild NEEDED to draft.  Boldy has great hands, stickhandles very well in traffic and I like how he's not afraid to get his nose dirty in the corners or screen the goalie.  His skating is a little better but he's still on the slow end of the scale IMO; as it takes him a little while to get really moving.  I just wonder how effective he'll be as the pace of play ramps up and he doesn't have the time and space he has in the college game.  Boldy is still a good NHL prospect, the problem is...we need a center more than we need wingers.  But he's a terrific set up man too.  

 

IMO, Newhook would really have given the team two Top 6 capable centers when you toss in Marco Rossi.  But I think the team felt it just couldn't pass up on Boldy who is a very skilled winger who could project into a Top line player.   The fact Newhook is an Avalanche prospect only adds insult to injury because you might be reminded of that mistake for a long time to come.  

 

McBain...big kid, IMO still kind of a long shot to make it unless its in a bottom 6 role.  Nesterenko IMO is a great long-term project.  He had a better than expected freshman year at Boston College.  Has great hands, needs to continue to fill out his slight frame but he moves reasonably well and has a terrific release.  Warren is very mobile, still needs to add strength but a capable puck mover with some offensive ability.  

[Alexandron]

St.Cloud State was able to beat both teams from Boston: on Saturday - Boston University with a score 6:2 and on Sunday - Boston College with a score 4:1.  Easton Brodzinski from St.Cloud team presents an interest of his talent in scoring, unfortunately, had a leg fracture in that last game. Season is ended for Boston College. I agree with LIG, Boldy and maybe even Nesterenko should go to Iowa to help the Wild team , which is doing horrible this season there. I am already thinking that the head coach in Iowa will be replaced this season because of this team's poor performance.

[CreaseAndAssist]

St. Cloud State and Minnesota State played with the kind of urgency and effort that's needed to win these kinds of games.  Minnesota looked groggy for at least half of the game and it wasn't until the 2nd half of the 3rd that they really started to press the attack which was way too late.  

 

St. Cloud played faster and took it to Boston College.  Nesterenko should 100% stay at Boston College.  Way way way too soon to have him going pro.  Boldy, he's shown me enough to have him forego his junior and senior seasons and go pro.  IMO, Russo seems to think he'll get signed to an ATO to play in Iowa so he doesn't burn a year of his entry level deal.  It will be interesting to see if he takes them up on that deal because I think he's a player who will probably be in the NHL sooner rather than later.  

 

Tim Army is doing just fine.  He's really being forced to soldier on with a rookie goaltender who isn't ready.  A rookie goaltender who should probably be playing in the ECHL and not the AHL.  Baribeau might be just competent enough; and again he had his struggles at the ECHL level too.  But the plan was really to have Hammond in Iowa but Covid ruined those plans.  You can't blame that on Tim Army.  Trust me, I think Army's job is safe and secure.