Zachary Bolduc Proving His Value as Canadiens Struggle

Under the bright Bell Centre lights during the home opener, Bolduc once again made good by sniffing around the crease. He pounced on a juicy rebound early to level with the visiting Carolina Hurricanes 1-1. Later in the opening stanza, Bolduc displayed some clever positioning and shooting from in close to outduel Carolina’s keeper on the power play and give the Canadiens a 3-2 advantage.

Granted, he didn’t do much for the remainder of the evening, but neither did the entire side. The defending Stanley Cup champions reverted to their old ways and stymied Montreal, exactly like during last season’s Eastern Conference Final.

Bolduc’s Presence Felt on Bad Nights

Thursday night against the visiting Nashville Predators was a frustrating experience. Montreal strolled to a well-deserved 2-0 second-period lead, only to fall, also deservedly, 5-2. 

No, Bolduc did not score, but his presence was certainly felt. He has a nose for the goal, and whenever Philip Danault or Alexandre Texier threw something toward the net, Bolduc was never far away to potentially capitalize on a redirect or rebound. 

To that point, the Texier-Danault-Bolduc line hasn’t done too badly for itself. They log less ice time than the top trios, but have quietly earned a respectable 53.8 percent in the Corsi column, which considers total shots toward goal (including those missed and blocked). Another enlightening stat is the expected goals for, or xGoals for. Their line sits at 1.2, not too far off the 1.5 earned by the Slafkovsky-Suzuki-Caufield trio. With Bolduc persistently situated near the crease, ready and willing to make something happen with a loose biscuit, those impressive figures are almost self-explanatory. 

To emphasize the point, what better situation is there than to swim around the crease for opportunities when on the man-advantage? The Canadiens’ power-play units have failed to impress this far, firing at a moribund 7.69 percent (1-for-13). Bolduc has scored the club’s lone power-play marker versus Carolina, finding space between Hurricanes defenders who failed their assignments and made them pay. Much of the Canadiens’ power play has felt timid. A little more Bolduc could go a long way.

Holding the Fort

Nothing comes easy in the NHL, and no one pities any of its rivals. Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, Kaiden Guhle, and Samuel Montembeault being out via injuries means it’s all hands on deck, even in this youthful chapter of the season.

The stars won’t bring it every night, however much they are the reason fans follow their favourite team. When the going gets tough, the likes of Bolduc are the ones who can provide the club with a lift. He clearly wants to be in on the action. The eye test will tell anyone that much. More critically, he’s a direct player. Not very fancy, but efficient in his own manner. 

If Montreal can course-correct during the next two games of their home stretch, don’t be surprised if Bolduc is among the players who make an impact, be it with pucks in the back of the net or bodies married to the boards.