This Thursday, the St. Louis Blues will open their training camp to prepare for the 2024-25 season. Many players will be reporting to camp already knowing of their role on the team. One player who heads into camp without a role is the former first-round pick, Zachary Bolduc.
Things Changed in August
When the calendar changed to August, it seemed Bolduc did have a role with the 2024-25 Blues. In 25 games last year, Bolduc played well. He scored five goals and recorded nine points. Furthermore, the Blues were fighting for a playoff spot. Bolduc was a positive player on the ice for the Blues. While the sample size was small, it seemed Bolduc had earned a spot on the 2024-25 roster. Even with the Blues re-signing and trading for multiple forwards, there still seemed to be a spot for Bolduc.
Then Doug Armstrong made a bold choice. Armstrong tendered offer sheets to forward Dylan Holloway and defenceman Philip Broberg of the Edmonton Oilers. When the Oilers chose to not match the offer sheets, Holloway and Broberg joined the Blue Note. The acquisition of another forward meant someone was going to have to go without a spot on the regular lineup.
Looking at the Blues projected line combinations, it is clear Bolduc is the odd-man out. Just like that, the former first-round pick who impressed last season does not have a role this season.
What Comes Next?
If the Blues were a team with serious playoff aspirations, this conversation would end here. Bolduc would start the season in the minors and would stay there until injuries happened on the NHL roster. However, while the Blues will be in the mix again, they are by no means serious contenders. This is still a team in a retool. Retooling teams like to see their young players play.
From this, we can see the Blues are likely to have an interest in Bolduc having a role on the team this year. It is not going to be in the full-time role it had looked like previously. However, he is not fully out of the picture.
What is Bolduc’s Role and How Does He Earn It?
The second question is more important than the first. As a result, it needs to be answered first. Training camp and the preseason are excellent ways for Bolduc to showcase his skills and growing maturity to the Blues. In fact, Bolduc already got a chance to do that last weekend in prospect camp. Bolduc look confident on the ice, indicating his small NHL time has paid dividends. That is certainly a great first step, but he needs to impress in training camp and in preseason games to truly earn a role.
Wow, what a move by Bolduc that evens up the score, 1-1.
Started with the puck at the red line and weaved his way through the Wild defense before finishing strong.
He looks really confident. #stlblues
— Jeremy Rutherford (@jprutherford) September 15, 2024
What is the role? If he earns it, Bolduc starts the season on the Blues roster, but as a healthy scratch. However, unlike other healthy scratches, Bolduc will get regular playing time as he is swapped in and out of the lineup. There are players the Blues can substitute Bolduc in for. With the exception of injuries, Bolduc is unlikely to see time on the first line, and even the second line may be a bit of a stretch. However, if Bolduc is on the roster, expect to see him play maybe once every three games. Furthermore, the first few months of the Blues schedule has them playing three or four games a week. Bolduc could easily play a game a week in the first few months.
How Does a Healthy Scratch Role Help His Development?
Some may say if Bolduc is not in the regular lineup, he needs to be sent to the minor leagues where he can play every game. And that is a fair assessment of the situation. The best way to learn is to do. If Bolduc is going to develop, he needs to play. Makes sense, right?
Pardon the broken record, but if the Blues were serious contenders, then by all means, let Bolduc play in the minors. But again, they are not serious contenders. This is not a team with their eyes on the Stanley Cup. As a result, why not have Bolduc in a role that allows him more NHL time? Do not forget his positive time in the NHL last season. Bolduc seems ready for the NHL. He still needs to develop, but given the team’s current position, he should get to learn by playing at the NHL level. In addition, there is much to learn from observing at the NHL level as well. The Blues have many veterans on the team. Many who have gone on deep Stanley Cup Playoff runs. That method of learning is not available in the minor leagues.
Smaller Role, But Still Much to Gain
This is certainly not what most fans would have expected for Bolduc. From a seemingly sure thing in the roster to having to earn his way into the lineup, that is quite a stretch. However, that is the NHL. Teams are always looking to get better. Sometimes, it comes at the expense of a player.
Bolduc’s role is uncertain. However, what is certain, is that the puck is in his end of the ice. If he wants to get back into the lineup, he knows what he has to do. That right there, may be the best thing that can happen to a young player.
Main Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
