The Minnesota Wild made the Stanley Cup Playoffs last year, losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the first round. They went into the offseason with one massive question: would Kirill Kaprizov sign a contract extension? The Wild have not answered that question yet with training camp. Will the Wild make the playoffs again with Matt Boldy and Kaprizov leading them up front? And will they keep their franchise player? Our Wild bold predictions have the answers.
There is no shortage of competitive teams in the Western Conference, with the Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars, and Golden Knights all vying for a Stanley Cup. The Wild have never reached the Stanley Cup Final in their 24 years of history, and celebrate a quarter-century with a solid team. Can this be the one that gets over the hump?
The Minnesota Wild bold predictions cover contract, point totals, and playoff standing ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Kirill Kaprizov stays with the Wild on a historic contract
Kaprizov has an inside track to become the greatest player in Wild history. That, and a historic contract that will likely make him the highest-paid player in the league, should be enough to keep him in Minnesota. The 28-year-old already has the greatest season in franchise history, with 47 goals, 61 assists, and 108 points from 2021-22, all representing franchise records. Now, he can set another.
The Wild will sign Kaprizov to an eight-year deal worth $15 million per season, the most expensive deal in the cap era. He has earned it, and the franchise has struggled to keep elite talent throughout its history. All parties have expressed optimism that the deal will get done, which will pay off before the season ends.
Matt Boldy has a career year in 2025-26
The Wild have already signed one of their key forwards to a long-term deal. Matt Boldy is entering the third year of a seven-year deal that pays him $7 million per season. He will turn 25 by the end of the season and kick down the door to enter his prime. Boldy will notch a career high in goals, assists, and points in 2025-26. That requires at least 32 goals and 47 assists, which would put him over the 73 points he needs.
Boldy was a first-round pick for the Wild, whom they have locked up and trust to drive the offense moving forward. Last year, he played alongside Marco Rossi on the second line, which should be a great pairing this season as well. They picked up Vladimir Tarasenko, who brings a veteran presence to their line.
The Wild are looking to build a legitimate contender in the Western Conference, which will require a lot of goals. Some of that offense should come from Boldy on the second line this year.
The Wild make the playoffs once again
While there are a lot of solid teams in the Western Conference, the Wild will make the postseason once again. They have the offensive stars, Brock Faber and Zeev Buium will lead the defense, and their goaltending is solid. They will be able to hold off competitors like the Utah Mammoth while getting closer to the Stars and Colorado Avalanche.
The Wild were one of the first teams mentioned when discussing franchises that would benefit from the rising salary cap. With Zach Parise and Ryan Suter's buyouts finally coming off the books, they can keep a franchise player and add more in the coming years. This could be the first big step they take in the playoffs if they get great seasons out of their young core.
The Wild open the season on October 9 on the road against the St Louis Blues. Will Kaprizov have a new deal by then?
