When you think about this years USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under-18 team, the first name that comes to mind for most fans is probably not Matthew Boldy. Hell, he might not even be in the top five. Playing on a team with so many top-end players like Jack Hughes, Trevor Zegras, and Alex Turcotte will do that to you. But what you find in Boldy is possibly the most complete winger in the draft. One who can adapt to any role needed. Want someone who can break open a shift? Care for a brilliant playmaker? How about a defensive horse?

Then Boldy is your guy.

He may not have as much in-your-face-skill in style compared to his USNTDP teammates, but there is very much a ton of talent underneath — elite talent I might add. Truly one of my favorite prospects for his ability to impress you with both eye-popping plays and quiet dominance.

What makes Boldy so effective is his ability to impact the game in so many aspects. The majority of his offense is not generated from his speed, more so with his hands and brain. The one knock I have on Boldy is his top-end speed and first few steps. But he does posses great edges and can quickly turn out of trouble. Worth noting, however, that his skating as a whole has greatly improved from his draft-minus-one season, which leaves reason to believe he can still add another gear to his straight line speed.

Boldy can make special plays with the puck all due to his elite hockey sense. He understands what is in front of him and can make plays to his teammates that are still developing. I’ve dubbed Boldy the second best playmaker in the draft — behind only USNTDP teammate Trevor Zegras — not because of flashy plays from awkward positions or dazzling stretch passes, but rather for his vision and identifying plays that are still developing.

Some examples of what I’m talking about:

Boldy’s repertoire doesn’t end there. He can create with pucks directly on his stick. Be it with either his elusive stick-handling or deceptive shot — both of which rank within the top-five of this class.

Lets start with his puck skills.

Boldy isn’t one to toe drag the puck between the legs just to show off. That’s not his game. Rather, he utilizes his hands in tight areas of the ice to push towards the net. He could stick-handle around you in a phone-booth if needed; he doesn’t need much space to work his magic. Now, a small critique I have involves his puck control, as sometimes when he tries to do too much, the puck will slip of his stick and you’ll notice him scrambling. That can very easily lead to turnovers.

His shot is a big time weapon. He can score from range and make for a great trigger option on the powerplay. He blends power and accuracy into his shot to make it one of the more well-rounded of the top goal scorers in this class. Boldy shows flashes of tenacity on pucks and fight his way to the net. This is not a player who is satisfied on the perimeter. He overcomes his average feet with determination to win battles and foot-races, which makes for an excellent play driving winger.

Boldy is one of the smartest players in this draft, but its his immense skill-set that pushes him into the upper-echelon of players for me. Really just take a look at some of these plays:

Rarely do you find power forwards with this type of finesse. Boldy can be a difference maker because of how diverse his skill-set is. That makes for a very versatile player. He can take on any role, having the capabilities and willingness to succeed any where in the lineup. But when the USNTDP utilized him in a scoring role he was simply incredible. He showed the ability to break open a game, make his teammates better, and to pull off high-skill plays.

You’ll notice Boldy is among the top three or four best players in any given category. His puck skills, playmaking ability, shot, and smarts are all elite. This is where I believe much of the misconception on Boldy lies; the belief that he does not own elite traits.

I can see Boldy developing into a star first-line winger who contributes in a variety of ways. He has point per game potential at his height which is too much to ignore. Similar to a Mark Stone, his great play might not be initially recognized because stalwart play away from the puck isn’t a sexy characteristic, but once his dynamic offensive abilities shine through many will start to understand just how good he is.

Boldy will be attending Boston College next fall. He’ll step right in and make an immediate impact, especially with Oliver Wahlstrom’s departure opening up opportunity on the wing. BC has an excellent incoming freshman class, with the likes of Alex Newhook and Spencer Knight joining the program as well.

I expect Boldy to be a one-and-done at BC and play in the NHL for the 2020-21 season. He is too mature and complete of a player to need anymore time at the collegiate level. However, when at college I hope he finds some improvement with his top-speed and cleans up his stride. That will go along way in helping him reach the potential he has.