Boldy expected to be out 4-6 weeks

Okay, that’s much better than expected.

The Minnesota Wild announced on Saturday before they face the Chicago Blackhawks for their preseason finale, that forward Matt Boldy will be out for approximately four to six weeks with a fractured left ankle.

Boldy left Thursday’s game in the dying minutes of the match after getting tangled and twisted in the corner with a Blackhawks player.

After putting his skills on display throughout training camp and preseason, he was expected to be a hot contender for one of the few open forward spots on the Minnesota roster, but this has put a dent in those plans and it looks like they will take their time with him.

Even after he is recovered, no one should be shocked if he spends a month or so with the AHL Wild to test out his ankle and determine whether or not he’s ready to make his full NHL debut and be on the first team roster full-time. Especially since they are going with a more patient development path with fellow top prospects in Marco Rossi, Adam Beckman, and Calen Addison, who will all be featured in Iowa to start the season — opting to go for waiver wire pickup Rem Pitlick and 24-year-old grinder Brandon Duhaime instead.

In the end, this is not too much of his season lost and we can still determine whether or not Boldy will be hoisted into the new core forming in Minnesota. It’s an easy bet to make that we will see Boldy and his other young prospect friends on the Wild eventually this season, but now it’s just a little delayed.