MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. — Opportunity knocks for Zack Bolduc.
With Brandon Saad potentially shelved for the start of the regular season for the St. Louis Blues due to the birth of his third child, Bolduc was among the top six forwards on Friday playing with Brayden Schenn and Pavel Buchnevich on the second line, with Robert Thomas flanked by Jordan Kyrou and Jake Neighbours.
“I’ve been happy with Bolduc,” Blues coach Drew Bannister said on Friday after practice. “I thought in Dallas, I would have liked to see a little bit more from him and I thought I saw a concerted effort in the game in Columbus. I think he had six shots on net and 11 or 12 attempts. Offensively, he’s been doing some real good things and again going back to the Dallas game compared to the Columbus game, I thought I saw a concerted effort on things that we need to see more from him.”
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Bolduc, the No. 17 pick in the 2021 NHL Draft who played in 25 games last season to get his feet wet in the NHL, was a standout at the 2024 Tom Kurvers Prospect Showcase Sept. 13-15 and has looked strong thus far in camp, and played in two preseason games.
He talked about wanting to be more aware and mindful away and without the puck this season.
“(And) being on the right side of the puck,” Bannister said. “He tends to, I don’t want to say cheat, but he tends to get on the wrong side of the puck instead of being over top of the puck and I think those are things for a young player and an offensive player that they just have to learn at this level. The game is so quick. It’s a game of inches and if you give up an inch, it can end up in the back of your net.”
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