The Minnesota Wild have an incredibly talented team. Now, this is nothing new. The Wild have had talented teams in the past. And like all those past teams, Minnesota failed to capitalize on that talent in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Perhaps they were on the receiving end of questionable officiating. But the fact remains that, once again, the Wild didn't do much in the postseason.

Unlike those teams in the past, there isn't much the Wild can do about it. They have nearly $15 million in dead cap space as a result of buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2021. Minnesota is up against the cap and can't add significant outside reinforcements. If this team is going to go far, it's up to them and them alone.

The Wild have their eyes on the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but it won't be an easy road. It's still possible for them to make it, though. Ahead of the 2023-24 season, let's take a look at three bold predictions for the Minnesota Wild.

Matt Boldy scores 40

The Wild received a much-needed scoring punch from young forward Matt Boldy in 2022-23. Boldy, 22, scored 31 goals and 63 points for Minnesota a year ago. Minnesota needed that type of production, and they should receive more of it this upcoming season.

Boldy's production from last year could land him on the first line with Ryan Hartman and Kirill Kaprizov. However, Mats Zuccarello showed incredible chemistry with those two in 2022-23. As a result, Boldy likely finds himself with Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson on the second line.

Boldy may not see a major uptick in scoring this upcoming season. Don't expect the young Wild star to score 50 or 60 goals for the team. But he certainly should score 40 goals as Minnesota hunts for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Filip Gustavsson – Vezina Finalist

One of the more underrated players on the Wild last season was goalie Filip Gustavsson. He came over in a trade with the Ottawa Senators expecting to backup future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury. And yet, Gustavsson turned in an incredible season, posting a .931 save percentage.

Replicating this success won't be easy for the 25-year-old. He figures to once again work in tandem with Fleury, at least to begin the season. Sharing time with the future Hall of Famer can make it more difficult to find a groove and carry this momentum over.

That said, the 25-year-old can certainly steal games from his veteran goaltending partner. In fact, his play will see him become the entrenched number-one option in Minnesota. Furthermore, his performances will be good enough to make him a surprise Vezina Trophy Finalist this upcoming season.

A Wild challenge

The Wild made the Stanley Cup Playoffs after finishing third in the Central Division last season. It's hard to imagine the top three teams in this division changing in 2024. Minnesota, the Colorado Avalanche, and Dallas Stars should all finish in the top three once again.

That said, it should be closer this year than last. And that's saying something considering the point differential between first and third was six points. It's not entirely out of the realm of possibility that the gap is closer than that this year.

The Avalanche likely enter the season as favorites for the division. But they lost a lot of their key depth this summer. While they did bring in replacements, it's hard to gauge whether they can step up like the previous group did. Furthermore, the Stars added impressive firepower in the form of Matt Duchene. However, question marks on their blueline still remain.

I'm not claiming the Wild will win the Central this season. It's far too close for me to call. But the team certainly has to be considered a contender for that top spot. And it isn't entirely impossible for them to shockingly take the crown in 2024.