This time, hope feels different for Minnesota Wild hockey fans. The sting of that first-round playoff exit still lingers, with all the frustration that comes from a season of big expectations falling flat. Depth issues and power-play struggles did them in against the Golden Vegas Knights. But now, there’s a reason to believe things might change, and it starts with Matt Boldy in a Wild jersey for the long haul.
How Will Matt Boldy’s Contract Shape the Minnesota Wild’s Future?
Minnesota locked up Boldy on a seven-year, $49 million deal that keeps him with the franchise through the 2029-30 campaign. The Wild are betting big that this is their chance to have a star on a team-friendly deal. Getting Boldy in his prime, at a price tag other teams would struggle to match, is the kind of win front offices dream about. Dom Luszczyszyn of The Athletic even wondered if Boldy could follow a path similar to Matthew Tkachuk in the NHL.
Luszczyszyn highlighted Boldy’s contract, $49 million, placing it as the ninth-best value in the league, giving it a 97% positive value probability. In his words, “To understand Matt Boldy’s value, it might be best to list some of his best comparables at the same age: Mark Stone, Sam Reinhart, Mikko Rantanen, Matthew Tkachuk,” Luszczyszyn wrote. “Superstars — and Boldy looks like he could end up on the same track.”
Of course, if Boldy wants to measure up to names like Stone or Tkachuk, it’s going to take a jump from the 75-point pace he has shown the past couple of years. Even so, Luszczyszyn noted that Boldy’s two-way play keeps him valuable no matter his scoring. His current impact already draws valid comparisons to players like Stone and Reinhart. Luszczyszyn added, “He’s already several leagues above that and only getting better. If he can turn into an 85-95 point player, this deal will be an even larger steal than it already is.”
MATT BOLDY 🗣️
He ties the game late with the 100th goal of his career!
📺: @NHLNetwork pic.twitter.com/xIu0yjVkF3
— NHL (@NHL) April 1, 2025
What Do Matthew Tkachuk’s and Matt Boldy’s Deals Tell Us About NHL Value?
So, what does a true star winger command? In Tkachuk’s case, the Florida Panthers signed him to an eight-year, $76,000,000 deal, according to Spotrac. Of that, $68,000,000 comes via signing bonus, and the Panthers locked in his services with a $9,500,000 average annual salary. Florida gets a star winger for what they think is a great deal. That’s why parallels are being drawn between Boldy and Tkachuk; Minnesota hopes to get similar value without breaking the bank.
Now, all eyes in Minnesota are on Boldy to deliver as the 2024-25 campaign gets underway. The team is hoping he can drive them deep into the postseason, something they missed out on last time around. Plus, the Wild are counting on chemistry from rising players like Aron Kiviharju and Zeev Buium. While the front office nailed it with the Boldy contract, their biggest challenge might be helping their versatile forward reach his highest level yet.
