Matt Boldy: Will Rival Teams Send In An Offer Sheet?
Until the Wild get Ryan Suter and Zach Parise fully off their cap sheet, Minnesota can only do so much to stay under the salary cap. A year ago, the Kings came over the top with an over they couldn’t match for Kevin Fiala. Are the Wild in danger of losing another young premier talent? Will rival teams send in an offer sheet for Matt Boldy?
Yes, I’m fully aware of how taboo the offer sheet is around the NHL. I still don’t get why nobody sent a godfather offer in for Jason Robertson. A decision that every team around the league should regret. With Minnesota in cap hell, rival teams should absolutely be preparing to come with an offer over the top to steal Boldy away from the Wild.
Boldy, 21, is on the verge of becoming a true breakout star. The former 12th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft has 29 points in 40 games thus far this season. Keep in mind, Boldy isn’t exactly skating will an All-Star cast either. Frederick Gaudreau and Ryan Hartman are his linemates. He’s also overshadowed on the powerplay unit by Kirill the thrill. However, when you really dig deep, the talent is off the charts. It’s going to shine through eventually.
Boldy is just scratching the surface of what he will become. The Wild have a good one on their hands. If they’re smart, they will pay him the contract he deserves. The alternative includes a bridge deal where Boldy walks away from Minnesota in his prime. The alternative includes a team dropping an offer sheet on the table because they messed around and took too long.
Boldy’s entry level contract expires after this season. Calen Addison is another that needs a new deal but his cap hit won’t be nearly as big. Matt Dumba is the only large contract coming off the books this year. All of Dumba’s cap hit should go towards a new deal for Boldy this summer. If not, the Wild are playing with real fire here.
Am I too high on Boldy’s potential? Maybe. I’d argue that Boldy has proven he’s going to pan out. With 27 goals and 68 points through the first 86 games of his career, that’s not exactly an easy feat to accomplish. Boldy is a future star and Minnesota better treat him like one or someone else will and or should.
