Article: 2025-26 Is Shaping Up To Be Matt Boldy's Defining Season

[Tony Abbott]

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[Patrick]

Great article. 

People tend to forget how young some of these guys are and how difficult it is to be a superstar.

Boldy has a chance.

If KK had never signed here we would be talking about Boldy as the most talented player in the organization since Gaborik. 

Having said that, I would prefer he wasn't a golfer. Are there any superstars who are avid golfers? It seems like the Crosby's and McDavid's have a single minded obsession about hockey.  That "scratch" golf handicap might be what is holding Boldy back.

Edited yesterday at 04:42 PM by Patrick

[Scalptrash]

If he can play an entire season with Kaprizov, that will definitely help. It did wonders for Hartman. The center is the bigger key and hopefully Rossi can deliver enough for the both of them.

That, and Boldy needs to evolve out of his cold and hot streak cycles and be more consistent overall.

[Imyourhuckleberry]

56 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

If he can play an entire season with Kaprizov, that will definitely help. It did wonders for Hartman

If he can play an entire season with Tarasenko, that could really help too. The Wild should have more offense available regardless of how they set the lines, assuming Kaprizov and Boldy are both healthy for the full season, and assuming KK97 remains on the Wild the full season...

[NoJoSux]

Boldy can cement himself as the Wild's best hope for the future this season as the youngest, top-end talent who is signed for the next chunk of years. 

I really like the top-end talent upgrade for the Wild's top six. Tarasenko has been an All-Star, Cup winner twice. Dangerous scoring threat, and not small, weak, or aloof. 

Boldy and Kaprizov have been kinda on an island at times, carrying the water for MN. That's great, but if the team can spread the talent around better and find some easier ways to outmatch opponent's lines, that will help win games. 

It should also help with improving the PP. Boldy, and Kaprizov have been sorta left to watch the PP2 units struggle the past few years. That's something MN should start to see improve as talented players get spread around. Jiricek's one-timer last night, or Tarasenko's wrist shot & release should be a big upgrade over last season's bootstrapping with NoJo, Fred G., or Foligno being plunked into PP roles as if that wasn't by necessity. 

I'd like to think MN can be a harder team to beat now with some talented young energy and some higher-end talent mixed in with the heavy-hitters like Boldy and Kirill. Boldy can still be a little more selfish or assertive. Shoot more, take it to the net more. Hit the net more, and tune up your own one-timer and scoring 40 goals is totally realistic.  

[Pewterschmidt]

Sturm out of the lineup due to a BAD BACK?   One week in.  WTF?   Are there not physicals prior to signing free agents?

[1Brotherbill]

So, if he plays the entire year with Kirill and Kirill is as healthy as he was at the start of last year.  It will be next to impossible for Boldy to not reach the 50/50 mark.  Kirill was on pace for 150 points last year.  If that is the case this year Boldy will be on the ice with him like 75 to 80 percent of the season.  

The thought that Kirill might not be here the entire year is a new one.  It would be nice to trade him at the deadline if he doesn't sign by then but he has a NMC which Kirill would have to wave to leave.  I doubt he will do that which means no trade for Kirill.  Which would be a humungous slap in the face to the entire fanbase. 

[mnhockeyfan03]

1 hour ago, 1Brotherbill said:

So, if he plays the entire year with Kirill and Kirill is as healthy as he was at the start of last year.  It will be next to impossible for Boldy to not reach the 50/50 mark.  Kirill was on pace for 150 points last year.  If that is the case this year Boldy will be on the ice with him like 75 to 80 percent of the season.  

The thought that Kirill might not be here the entire year is a new one.  It would be nice to trade him at the deadline if he doesn't sign by then but he has a NMC which Kirill would have to wave to leave.  I doubt he will do that which means no trade for Kirill.  Which would be a humungous slap in the face to the entire fanbase. 

If Kirill doesn’t sign they will trade him early in the year or before the first game.  His value is more. If he says he won’t give them a list I think they will sit him and then he will give them a trade list as he devalues himself sitting for a year. Wild need to play hardball and not gave a gaborik situation. With how quiet things are it’s obvious he has said he wants out after this year so I think they are working through things now on where he would like to go.  He is only worth 12-13mm so honestly the team will be much better off trading him.  That’s what I am hoping for. Anyone that geeedy deserves what they have coming. 

[Burnt Toast]

7 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

With how quiet things are it’s obvious he has said he wants out

I think his team went into that meeting with the Wild Management team knowing whatever offer they received they weren’t going to accept it on the spot. It gives Paul T some time in the NHL spotlight as he’s a pretty small player in his field. It’s definitely risky but another $1M/year is $8M for KK and bonus cash for his agent. Of course you might be 100% right and he wants out and the Wild become a negotiating ladder to get top $. 

[0 Stanley Cups]

8 hours ago, mnhockeyfan03 said:

If he says he won’t give them a list I think they will sit him and then he will give them a trade list as he devalues himself sitting for a year. Wild need to play hardball and not gave a gaborik situation. 

Unless a trade is imminent, it's not possible to just bench a player like KK97 as punishment, the NHLPA would absolutely jump in on his behalf.  While I completely agree that we can't have another Gaborik situation, unfortunately BG is the one who gave him a full NMC throughout this contract, he should have at least had a five team trade list in his final year.  BG didn't play hardball with Kaprizov when he was RFA the same way he did with Rossi or Fiala, since he was probably scared of him going back to the KHL.

The only positive for now is that since both Kaprizov and Panarin have the same agent, and maybe GM's and owners would be leery of dealing with this clown in the future.  Now there's both the russian factor and Pauly T factor at play.

[Scalptrash]

12 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Sturm out of the lineup due to a BAD BACK?   One week in.  WTF?   Are there not physicals prior to signing free agents?

Yeah, not good. That is going to be a problem for the rest of his career. I bet Wild management was pissed when he talked about it in an interview.

[Pewterschmidt]

25 minutes ago, Scalptrash said:

Yeah, not good. That is going to be a problem for the rest of his career. I bet Wild management was pissed when he talked about it in an interview.

Is this another one that can be chalked up to the Wild's medical staff?  

This is now a "where there's smoke there's fire" situation.  No more benefit of the doubt.

[mnfaninnc]

14 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Sturm out of the lineup due to a BAD BACK?   One week in.  WTF?   Are there not physicals prior to signing free agents?

In preseason, they tend to be overly cautious about this sort of thing. It's probably a preventative thing so that it doesn't mess with the regular season. Now if he's heading off for surgery, then we should be worried.

[mnfaninnc]

1 hour ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Is this another one that can be chalked up to the Wild's medical staff?  

This is now a "where there's smoke there's fire" situation.  No more benefit of the doubt.

I agree with the spotlight turning on the medical staff. A sigh of relief went up from Judd's desk as finally he gets some shade. Backs are tricky things, I've thrown mine out several times doing just mundane things. I hope it's just a tweak. For me, I had to change my on ice posture and be more upright, but as I've gotten older, it's gotten far worse. He's not 60 yet, so he's probably got a lot more in him to get this right.

[mnfaninnc]

There are a lot of ifs here, but I think Boldy's next goal should be 40/40. He'll likely get there with Kaprizov. I disagree that Kaprizov is gone or isn't going to sign. I think he will. But I also think Paul T. has Guerin's nuts trapped in a vice grip and he's squeezing. Next interview, if Shootah's eyes look like they're popping out, we'll know the source!

Kaprizov is 28. Boldy may have a breakout year, as may Rossi. Hopefully all 5 of the kids will show a great amount of promise. I think he can win here. 

Also, there was a 2nd preseason game, any comments as to what happened there and who played?

[Sam]

26 minutes ago, mnfaninnc said:

I had to change my on ice posture

You play/played hockey? I didn’t take you for the sports type. No offense.

[Dango]

A medical staff cant prevent an injury from occurring  and these guys push themselves to the limit and i imagine they cross that limit from time to time   i mean what the Vikings had 9-10 injuries last week and its only week 1 or 2 .   That Boldy golf thing is also over blown it only uses 3-4 hours a day theres plenty of time to do golf , practice etc ,its not like he owns an ice rink and has one available 24-7 .   I think with Boldy as he keeps progressing the game will slow down for him and that should improve his timing etc . Ive heard Strum is an avid  work out weight lifter so that can and does damage you the process of building strength muscle .