Article: Matt Boldy's Playing His Way To the Inside Track For An Olympics Spot

[Tony Abbott]

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[Will D. Ness]

Boldy is going to bust out next year.  I say this in full acknowledgment that I am not clairvoyant.  The dude has turned a corner.  I hope Heinz rolls with the Kap/Ek/Boldy line next year because it is going to be a monster.

I do not know why so many people on here dismiss the young talented core this team has.  Boldy, Rossi, Faber?  Come on.  Even Chisholm has a good chance of turning into a high quality player.  But yet... it is always negative doom and gloom in Minnesota fandom.

[Sviginak]

I would agree, Will, Boldy should continue improving. JEE and Kap are likely to continue getting better, The team as a whole had an off year and everyone still here is likely to show better in most categories. No reason to not think the team will be better, IMO. 

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Spacek with an assist on the goal to put USA in a 1-0 hole in the 2nd period.

Those with NHL network can watch the USA team battle back. Go Boldy!

https://www.iihf.com/en/events/2024/wm/gamecenter/playbyplay/54245/59-usa-vs-cze

Edited May 23 by Imyourhuckleberry

[Citizen Strife]

Here's a thought.

Kaprizov struggles at the start of seasons

Boldy struggles without a good winger or center

Ek says, "Struggle?  What does that word mean?"

 

Keep them on the same line, and I think they will be fine.

[FredJohnson]

Oh great...now Boldy is going to demand a new contract. (Sarcasm)

[Imyourhuckleberry]

Well, the bad news is that the US lost to Czechia. If you want a positive, it would be David Spacek facing NHL players, not allowing a goal against(13:20 TOI), and recording a 1st assist on the only goal scored in the game.

WTF USA!

Also, Gustavsson held Finland to 1 goal in an OT win(.950 save percentage). Sweden will face Czechia and the Swiss face Canada in the semifinals May 25.

[mnfaninnc]

Quote

"I want to see how they perform."

And if that didn't perk up the ears of a bubble player like Boldy, Guerin's later comments surely did. "I want to see commitment," he said, "and if a trip to the Caribbean is more important than the World Championships, then you're not really committed."

Tony, this quote bleeds into our conversation about the height/weight issue. When Guerin says "I want to see commitment" he said that to Rossi (which had him miss his sister's wedding). I'll bet he's said it to Boldy regarding hockey #1, worry about golf for the senior tour. 

Specifically, when we are talking about the young guns, there's got to be a strength and leverage for each of them to compete in the A. Lambos, Spacek and Masters found out the hard way that the strength they had in jrs. was no match for what they needed moving up a level. They will find that again in the N. 

My angle here is that the players should not be strengthening and conditioning to play in the A, but while in the A strengthening and conditioning to play in the N. I'm extremely disappointed in the outcome so far. Our young guns simply haven't shown the ability to compete given their chance. (these are the ones developed in Iowa)

I believe these quotes from Guerin also apply to this.

Good article, I do believe that in a tournament like this, Boldy and Rossi care probably more than most. I've seen none of these games, but I'd be real interested in hearing how Tkachuk has played.

[Will D. Ness]

15 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Also, Gustavsson held Finland to 1 goal in an OT win(.950 save percentage). Sweden will face Czechia and the Swiss face Canada in the semifinals May 25.

GWG was Ek.  Also, Helenius looked pretty impressive for a 18 yo for Finland (Insert this into the Helenius thread). 

[mnfaninnc]

One thing about Boldy is that he looks 16. He doesn't play a big bodied game like he's capable of. If he takes that next step this season and becomes a physical beast, I could be happy with no trades. 

Maybe he had to mentally grow into his body? In case anyone is wondering, I do not know his measurements, but I'd like to see a little more strength in him. Boldy tries to do a lot of against the grain moves, and I can see that he's close but not always able to do it strength wise. The moves are ridiculous and may cause some knee injuries to opponents trying to keep up. But if he can perfect that and then drive the net with strength, we might have Kaprizov's running mate already in the fold.

[Protec]

If Wild players were meaner and more assertive without getting too many minors like Hartman, we'd have something. 

Rather Hartman or Foligno fly off the handle and others are too mild & meek to take over a little girl's lemonade stand or push around a shopping cart. 

Need better balance...

[mnfaninnc]

15 hours ago, Protec said:

If Wild players were meaner and more assertive without getting too many minors like Hartman, we'd have something. 

Rather Hartman or Foligno fly off the handle and others are too mild & meek to take over a little girl's lemonade stand or push around a shopping cart. 

Need better balance...

The key here is to be really nice off the ice, but once inside the boards to be mean as hell. Fans love players who go the extra mile outside and inside are just maniacs to play against.

Sometimes, as a pro, it takes a little while for this to take hold. I'll give the kids a 1-2 year pass, they're learning. But the vets have got to have some snarl.