Zachary Bolduc Explained

Zachary Bolduc
Birth Date:February 24, 2003
Birth Place:Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:174
Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:St. Louis Blues
Prospect Team:Springfield Thunderbirds
Prospect League:AHL
Draft:17th overall
Draft Year:2021
Draft Team:St. Louis Blues
Career Start:2023

Zachary Bolduc (born February 24, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for the Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the St. Louis Blues in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft by the Blues with the 17th overall pick in the draft.[1]

Playing career

Bolduc initially began down the college hockey path, playing 20 games with Mount Saint Charles Academy and two games with the Sioux City Musketeers of the United States Hockey League before choosing to play major junior hockey with the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) in October 2019.[2] In his rookie season in 2019–20, Bolduc led all rookies in goals with 30 and finished second in points with 52. He was named the QMJHL's rookie of the year, named to the all-rookie team and was awarded the Michel Bergeron Trophy as offensive rookie of the year.[3] He spent two seasons with Rimouski, collecting 40 goals and 81 points in 82 games.[2] Bolduc won the Michael Bossy Trophy as the QMJHL's best prospect on May 31, 2021.[4] On August 3, 2021, Bolduc was traded to the Quebec Remparts for four draft picks.[2] He then played his final two seasons under coach Patrick Roy, scoring 50 goals in both seasons. In the 2022–23 season, Bolduc and the Remparts won the Gilles-Courteau Trophy as the champions of the QMJHL playoffs and the Memorial Cup.[5] At the end of the season Bolduc was named a Canadian Hockey League Second Team All-Star.[6]

Bolduc was selected by the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the first round, 17th overall, in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.[7] [8] He signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Blues on August 24, 2021.[9] With the conclusion of his major junior career, Bolduc joined the Blues but was assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds, to begin the 2023–24 season.[10] Bolduc played in 48 games with the Thunderbirds, scoring eight goals and 23 points before being recalled by the Blues on February 20, 2024.[11] He made his NHL debut on February 22 against the New York Islanders, who were being managed by his former coach with the Remparts, Patrick Roy.[12] Bolduc scored his first NHL goal in his second game, a 6–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on February 24, his 21st birthday.[13] Bolduc registered his first multi-point game with a goal and an assist in a 5–2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on April 10.[14] With the Blues eliminated from the playoffs, Bolduc was one of three young players assigned to Springfield on April 18. He appeared in 25 games with the Blues, scoring five goals and nine points.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2018–19Trois-Rivières EstacadesQMAAA33 12 15 27 404 1 1 2 10
2019–20Sioux City MusketeersUSHL2 0 0 0 0
2019–20Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL55 30 22 52 36
2020–21Rimouski OcéanicQMJHL27 10 19 29 18
2021–22Quebec RempartsQMJHL65 55 44 99 3612 8 4 12 6
2022–23Quebec RempartsQMJHL61 50 60 110 5018 11 8 19 8
2023–24Springfield ThunderbirdsAHL50 8 17 25 24
2023–24St. Louis BluesNHL25 5 4 9 6
NHL totals25 5 4 9 6

International

Awards and honours

AwardYear
CHL
Second All-Star Team2023
Memorial Cup2023[16]
QMJHL
All-Rookie Team
2020
Rookie of the Year2020
Michael Bossy Trophy2021
Gilles-Courteau Trophy2023[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Zachary Bolduc. Elite Prospects. 2021-07-27.
  2. Web site: Zachary Bolduc Échangé . fr . Zachary Bolduc Traded . TVA Sports . Carrier . Jean . August 3, 2021 . May 23, 2024.
  3. Web site: Prospect of Interest: Zachary Bolduc brings the 'whole package' . Sportsnet . Sadler . Emily . July 21, 2021 . May 23, 2024.
  4. Web site: Zachary Bolduc remporte le Trophée Michael Bossy . fr . Zachary Bolduc wins the Michael Bossy Trophy . L'Hebdo Journal . Cossette . Jonathan . May 31, 2021 . May 23, 2024.
  5. Web site: Son passage avec les Remparts derrière lui, Zachary Bolduc s'attaque aux Blues de St. Louis: "Je veux essayer de prendre le poste de quelqu'un" . fr . His time with the Remparts behind him, Zachary Bolduc takes on the St. Louis Blues: "I want to try to take someone's job" . Le Journal de Québec . Dube . Kevin . September 1, 2023 . May 23, 2024.
  6. Web site: 2022-23 CHL All-Star Teams announced. Canadian Hockey League. June 5, 2023. June 1, 2023.
  7. Web site: Blues acquire forward Buchnevich from Rangers, draft center Bolduc . Thomas . Jim . July 24, 2021 . 2021-07-27 . St. Louis Dispatch . subscription.
  8. Web site: Blues' 2021 NHL Draft picks: Grades, fit and full scouting reports . Pronman . Corey . The Athletic . July 24, 2021. May 23, 2024 . subscription.
  9. Web site: Bolduc agrees to entry-level contract with the Blues . . NHL.com . August 24, 2021 . August 24, 2021.
  10. Web site: Blues assign 4 players to AHL . St. Louis Blues . NHL.com . October 8, 2023 . May 23, 2024.
  11. Web site: Bolduc recalled; Faulk, Perunovich on injured reserve . St. Louis Blues . NHL.com . February 20, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  12. Web site: Bolduc makes NHL debut for Blues in 4-0 win against Islanders . The Hockey News . Korac . Lou . February 23, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  13. Web site: DeBrincat scores twice, Red Wings use first-period flurry to overwhelm Blues 6-1 . ESPN . Associated Press . February 24, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  14. Web site: Kyrou scores 2 as Blues beat Blackhawks 5-2 to preserve playoff hopes . ESPN . Associated Press . April 10, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  15. Web site: Blues assign 3 players to Springfield Thunderbirds . St. Louis Blues . NHL.com . April 18, 2024 . May 23, 2024.
  16. Web site: Québec Remparts cap off impressive season by winning 2023 Memorial Cup. Canadian Hockey League. June 5, 2023. June 5, 2023.
  17. Web site: Ferrari . Tony . Quebec Remparts beat Halifax Mooseheads to win QMJHL Championship . . May 21, 2023 . May 25, 2023.