VANCOUVER — More than anyone else up front for the Wild this season, Matt Boldy has skated the most consistently with the greatest variety of forwards, and he was penciled into another new line on Thursday.
Another line shuffle for Wild's Matt Boldy combines him with Eriksson Ek, Johansson
The winger has played with numerous other linemates this season and says he's never disappointed with the combinations.
March 3, 2023 at 2:50AM
Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek teamed up with Marcus Johansson against the Canucks for Johansson's first game since the Wild acquired him from the Capitals on Tuesday for a 2024 third-round draft pick.
Johansson subbed in for Marcus Foligno, who's considered day-to-day with a lower-body issue.
"Two great hockey players obviously," Johansson said of Boldy and Eriksson Ek. "They work hard and play with a lot of speed, as well. I think that fits me very well. Bolds obviously makes a lot of plays and is a very skilled hockey player. I think it's going to be a lot of fun playing with those two guys."
After getting promoted from the minors to make his NHL debut last season, Boldy ended up clicking with Frederick Gaudreau and Kevin Fiala, but the trio was dissolved once Fiala was traded to the Kings in the offseason.
At the start of this season, Boldy reunited with Gaudreau, and the duo initially worked with Sam Steel. But once that combination was split up, the musical chairs began.
Aside from Gaudreau, Foligno and Eriksson Ek, Boldy has also banked significant minutes alongside Ryan Hartman. He tends to fill out a line with Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello after Wild penalty kills, and Boldy has also shared the ice with call-ups Adam Beckman, Nic Petan and Sammy Walker.
In all, the winger has logged at least 35 minutes of ice time at 5-on-5 with 15 different forwards, which is tops on the Wild, according to Natural Stat Trick. Boldy chalks up the shuffling to simply being part of the game.
"My whole life it's always been like that," he said. "You're always changing linemates. It's a long season. It's hard to play 82 games with the same guys and expect the same results and not go through ups and downs.
"For me it doesn't matter who I play with. I think I've always tried to have that mind-set. I've never come in and looked at the lines and been disappointed with who I'm playing with. I think whoever I'm with and whatever role that I get to play, I'm happy with."
His latest unit is one that could make a difference at both ends of the rink.
"We want to play a 200-foot game, play well in the D-zone," Boldy said. "But offensively minded, we want to score goals [and] not just chip pucks out. We want to make plays when they're there and get the puck into the back of the net.
"I think we all kind of play a different style but with similar mind-sets, sometimes that stuff works really well together."
Injury update
Jonas Brodin did not travel with the Wild, who will wrap up their trip on Saturday at Calgary. The defenseman is on injured reserve with a nagging lower-body injury that requires rest.
"We expect him to probably start skating after this road trip," coach Dean Evason said.
As for Foligno, he is on the road with the Wild.
Haight signs
The Wild signed prospect Hunter Haight to a three-year, entry-level contract that begins next season.
After starting the season with Barrie in the Ontario Hockey League, Haight was traded to Saginaw and rattled off 36 points in 33 games, including 14 goals. Overall, the 5-10, 173-pound center is up to 17 goals and 28 assists in 53 games.
Haight was drafted in the second round, 47th overall, last year by the Wild.
Alex Ovechkin has a broken left fibula and is expected to be out four to six weeks, an injury that pauses the Washington Capitals superstar captain’s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s NHL career goals record.
