Wild prospect Matt Boldy out four to six weeks with ankle fracture

Matt Boldy’s quest to earn a spot with the Wild to start the season has come to an early end as the Minnesota announced that he will miss four to six weeks due to a left ankle fracture.  The injury was suffered in Thursday’s game against Chicago.  Michael Russo of The Athletic adds that the news, while still disappointing, is better than the team was initially expecting.

The 20-year-old is one of Minnesota’s top prospects after being the 12th overall pick back in 2019.  Boldy wrapped up his college career last season at Boston College with 31 points in 22 games to lead the Eagles in scoring before turning pro and finishing up the year in the minors with AHL Iowa.  He averaged more than a point per game there as well with 18 points in 14 contests, putting him in a spot to make a legitimate push for a regular role in Minnesota’s lineup coming into training camp.

Instead, Boldy will be placed on season-opening injured reserve, and since he is on a two-way contract and didn’t spend any time on the NHL roster, the SOIR designation will keep him off the salary cap while he’s injured.  Once recovered, he’ll likely need to return to Iowa and wait for an injury to arise before making his NHL debut.