Boldy's 81 points ranked fourth on an NTDP roster stacked with seven other first-round picks including
Jack Hughes
(No. 1),
Alex Turcotte
(No. 5),
Trevor Zegras
(No. 9),
Spencer Knight
(No. 13),
Cameron York
(No. 14),
Cole Caufield
(No. 15) and
John Beecher
(No. 30).
"Those guys are basically your brothers," Boldy said. "You're with them 24/7, so being able to see those guys go so high and succeed, it puts a smile on your face. I think we had 17 guys get picked, which is awesome and kind of shows what USA Hockey is doing over there in Plymouth (Michigan). It's a big reason I'm the player I am today, because I was out there playing and practicing with those guys."
Leading up to the draft, Minnesota general manager Paul Fenton remained steadfast that the Wild were going to select the best player available and were thrilled to be able to get Boldy.
"He's a guy that plays a lot on the left wing but can move around and play up the middle, center for us, and his size and hands are something that really excite me," Fenton said.