The Minnesota Wild have been dealt a significant blow with the start of the 2024-25 season now just over two weeks away. Forward Matt Boldy has suffered an injury and will be out of action for the immediate future, the team announced.
Sidelined with a lower-body ailment, Boldy’s availability for the Wild regular-season opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets on October 10 at Xcel Energy Center is now uncertain.
Still, Wild head coach John Hynes offered a more positive outlook, stating that the team anticipates him to be ready for the beginning of the regular season, via Michael Russo of The Athletic.
“Matt was obviously having a very good training camp for the first few days and had a really good summer,” Hynes said. “So I think if he just has a little bit of a break here, he should be fine. But we’re anticipating him near the end of camp and ready for the start of the season.”
“It just kind of popped up,” Hynes continued about Boldy’s injury.
Boldy had a breakout season in 2023-24, setting career highs with 29 goals and 40 assists. He continued his strong play at the World Championship in May, contributing six goals and eight assists for Team USA under head coach Hynes.
Over the weekend, Boldy expressed confidence in his abilities and revealed that he has set personal goals following his career-best season.
“There’s always goals, always ways to improve,” Boldy said Saturday. “I mean, I’m confident in myself. I have my goals set and stuff like that, but just being consistent and helping our team every night and having an impact.”
Assistant coach Jack Capuano, responsible for the Wild’s penalty kill, expressed disappointment over the loss of one of his key penalty-killing forwards with Boldy now sidelined.
“It’s disappointing that that the injury did happen because you can show them as much video as they want, but the repetition’s gonna drive the execution, right?” Capuano said. “So, you want to have a lot of reps, and unfortunately for him, he won’t.”
In 203 career NHL games after being taken with the 12th overall pick by the Wild in the 2019 NHL Draft, Boldy has tallied 75 goals with 96 assists. However, Boldy was called out by GM Bill Guerin this past spring for a subpar postseason performance in which he registered only three assists.
Matt Boldy’s injury provides an opportunity for Minnesota’s young talent
Though losing Boldy is far from ideal, it presents an opportunity for several young prospects. During exhibition play, these players can step up, fill the open roster spot, and prove to the coaching staff and management that they deserve a place in the lineup.
The Wild continue their exhibition schedule by facing the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on September 25.
