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MN Wild Forward Named Breakout Star to Watch at 2026 Olympics
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- MN Wild Forward Named Breakout Star to Watch at 2026 Olympics
Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Team USA's Charlie McAvoy was hospitalized after delivering maybe the biggest hit Canada's Connor McDavid has received in his career. The Tkachuks' knuckles are still bloody from punches delivered during two of three fights that broke out during the first nine seconds of USA vs Canada, Saturday.
Unlike what we have seen during the NHL season, Minnesota Wild players competing at the Four Nations Face-Off over the past week have somehow remained healthy. Both best-on-best, Team USA rookies, Brock Faber and Matt Boldy , have both opened eyes in what has proven to be possibly the best All-Star exhibition in sports.
Credit: David Kirouac-Imagn Images
After more than a decade since best-on-best men's hockey was last played at the 2014 Olympics, it's finally coming back back at the 2026 Olympics, then again at the World Cup of Hockey in 2028.
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Thank zee gods! And thank the NHL for giving us the Four Nations Face-Off so we can get a look at the best players in the world, along with some younger talent poised to breakout at the Olympics in Milano Cortina..
MN Wild forward Matt Boldy named breakout star to watch at 2026 Olympics
Matt Boldy had the primary assist on the go-ahead goal by Dylan Larkin against Canada, Saturday. Although he intercepted a pass prior to finding Larkin, he wasn't awarded a takeaway on the play. But in almost 12 minutes on ice, Boldy had two shots on goal, three hits and finished +1.
A poll conducted by 27 NHL staffers at The Athletic voted Matt Boldy (22.2%) as the 4 Nations breakout star to watch at the 2026 Olympics. Boldy got one more vote than his USA teammate Zach Werenski , who's tied for the tournament lead in points.
| Country |
Player |
% Vote |
|---|---|---|
| USA |
Matt Boldy |
22.2% |
| USA |
Zach Werenski |
18.5% |
| USA |
14.8% |
|
| CAN |
11.1% |
|
| CAN |
7.4% |
Matt Boldy has been really noticeable in limited minutes at 23 years old, so that bodes well for Milano Cortina 2026. The Americans' depth is visibly on another level at every position in this tournament.
Boldy had a goal and an assist in the 6-1 win over Finland. Again, in limited minutes (12:43), Boldy had two shots on goal on three attempts, delivered a hit and finished +2. Boldy had three shots on goal on five attempts over 17:28 on ice in the 2-1 loss to Sweden, Monday. He took a penalty and had a giveaway, but he was elevated on the depth chart as a result of injuries sustained in the Canada game.
🇺🇸 USA GOAL 🇺🇸
Dylan Larkin puts the Americans up by one!
🎥: Sportsnet | NHL #Canada #USA pic.twitter.com/bmWxlt4t7A— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 16, 2025
Wild defenseman Brock Faber might be the unsung American hero
Only one American is skating more than Wild defenseman Brock Faber. Werenski has been great for Team USA, posting an eye-popping 1.47 game score . But Faber has stifled the best offensive players in the sport.
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Against Canada, he skated more than 25 minutes against the top two lines and managed to giveaway the puck just once. He blocked three shots and delivered a hit and an assist to finish +3 to co-lead the team in plus/minus.
Related: Team USA Trying to Ride Brock Faber to 4 Nations Title
Faber was +1 with a shot and a hit in almost 19 minutes against Finland, and posted a -1 against Sweden in 20+ minutes, Monday. Much of the Faber ignore-ance and ignorance is based on giveaways. He had five in the game against Sweden, but he also tends to lead the team in puck retrievals.
Faber's also held the zone well for Team USA. Here he holds the zone, fires a shot from the blue line, and connects with Wild teammate Matt Boldy for the go-ahead goal against Finland. It wound up being the game-winning goal.
Matt Boldy gives USA it's 1st lead
USA 2 Finland 1 2nd period #USAvsFin pic.twitter.com/D70Jsr6TMO— Nick McCardell (@UKhoops1_BBN) February 14, 2025
Previewing the MN Wild's impact on USA/Canada II
Look for the Minnesota Wild to play big roles in part two of USA versus Canada, which will be on American soil this time around. The Boston crowd won't likely be able to cheer for their boy, Charlie McAvoy, who's had an infection resulting from that injury sustained on the McDavid hit. But Boston will assuredly be rocking for Team USA.
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Expect Brock Faber and defensive partner Jaccob Slavin to skate more than 25 minutes again and block a half-dozen shots. They had six of Team USA's 15 blocked shots in Game 1.
Expect the American forecheck to be as fierce as it was in Game 1 despite the loss of McAvoy. Team USA delivered 34 hits in Game 1, and just three skaters failed to deliver a hit. Boldy's three hits tied for third on the team.
Most importantly, expect Connor Hellebuyck to remain the greatest goaltender in the game, which will have the biggest impact on the result in Boston, Thursday. Faber and Slavin have done a great job limiting shots on goal in front of him.
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Hellebuyck's seen just 47 shots over two games played, stopping 45 of them. That 23.5 shots per game average is considerably lower than the 27.6 shots per game allowed by his Winnipeg Jets ' defensemen. USA's defense has been the bigger reason for its success and will continue to be.
