The Minnesota Wild are scuffling through the first six weeks of 2025. When Kirill Kaprizov’s MVP-caliber season came to a screeching halt due to injury, the team looked for scoring elsewhere in their lineup. That has not been the problem, as 23-year-old Matt Boldy has been key to the Wild’s success. Minnesota GM Bill Guerin also built Team USA for the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off and knew he could not leave Boldy off the team.
“As we kept narrowing down the names last fall, his name stayed on the list,” Guerin told Mike Zeisberger of NHL.com. “At one point I said to my (Team USA) staff: ‘I’m not just doing this because he plays on my NHL team. Watch him and tell me I’m wrong.’’’
Boldy has been great for the Wild since he entered the league at 20 years old. He is closing in on 100 goals already, set a single-season high with 31 at 21, and is on pace to set his single-season points record. The Wild drafted him 12th overall and number 12 has been key to their success.
Even with those numbers, Boldy was a bubble player when building the 4 Nations Face-Off roster. He has a chance to become a household name with a big tournament for Team USA.
The Wild must build around Matt Boldy
There is no secret who the face of the franchise is in Minnesota. Kaprizov is currently under contract through 2026 and is in line for a monster extension due to the rising salary cap. He can thank Boldy when he does sign the historic extension. Boldy’s contract is worth $7 million per year through 2030.
Having elite scorers on the wings on long-term deals will help Kaprizov boost his numbers for the length of his extension. Boldy has already connected with Kaprizov on 12 goals this season and 54 throughout his career. Boldy has 214 points, so a quarter of those have been with Kaprizov.
The Wild have a top line that can compete with the best in the Western Conference and should for a long time. With depth pieces like Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello, and Joel Eriksson Ek, Guerin has done a great job building their front line. The continued growth of the franchise is centered around Boldy and his ability to finish Kaprizov’s incredible plays.
When American hockey fans flip on the 4 Nations Face-Off next week, they may be surprised to see the young Boldy playing alongside some of the biggest stars in the league. But soon, he will be in that conversation as his GM very well knows.
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