By Jordan Long
The Minnesota Wild stand at 24-14-4 for a total of 52 points, 3rd in the Central Division. If the season were to end now, they would be a playoff team. The Wild decided to sign forward Matt Boldy to a contract extension.
Boldy is in his 2nd NHL season with the Wild. Last year he exploded onto the scene with 15 goals and 24 assists for a total of 39 points. The amazing part about those stats is that Boldy was in the lineup for just 47 games, a little over half a season. The Wild knew they had a special player.
This year the Wild has higher expectations for Boldy and he is living up to them. Appearing in all 42 games this season Boldy has scored 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points. He is on pace to beat his stats from last year. The Wild though are hoping to make a run at the Stanley Cup and want him to be part of it.
The Wild knew Boldy was in the last year of his entry deal in the NHL. They could have waited until the end of the season to agree to a new contract. Boldy is playing at such a high level, the time was now to agree to an extension with him. He will stay in Minnesota for the next 7 years. His new deal is worth $49 million, paying him $7 million per year.
The Wild now keep a big piece of their future. Of course, they would like to make a deep run in the postseason this season. They know 7 years is a long time. That gives the Wild a chance to build a top team around him. He can elevate his game even more in NHL. The goal for Boldy is to be one of the top forwards in the next 7 years. The best case is he becomes a Nathan McKinnon type who some say is the best overall player in the NHL at the forward position. All Boldy needs to do is increase his numbers every year. Either way though, this was a smart move by the Wild to keep one of their young guns.
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