Matt Boldy, after strong start to NHL career, is with Wild for good

CHICAGO — Playing college hockey in Massachusetts and representing the United States internationally before joining the Wild isn't all Matt Boldy and Jordan Greenway have in common.

They also live under the same roof.

After Boldy was recently given the green light to ditch the hotel for more permanent lodging in the Twin Cities — confirmation he'd be finishing out the season with the Wild following a call-up from the minors last month — the rookie moved in with Greenway on Monday night.

"He's been great," said Boldy, who drove to Iowa on Monday to grab his belongings. "Ever since I got here, he's been helping me out, taking me under his wing a little bit. I had known him a little before. We have the same agent. He's just taking care of me.

"It's been a good relationship and I feel comfortable around him, so it was a good choice for sure."

Although they're four years apart, Boldy and Greenway went on similar journeys to get to the Wild.

The 12th overall draft pick in 2019, Boldy spent two seasons at Boston College before turning pro; Greenway, a second-round pick in 2015, was at Boston University for three seasons ahead of his graduation to the NHL.

Both are also products of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program who have suited up for Team USA at the World Juniors.

"I'm sure it's nice to be with a guy who's done it before," said Greenway, who Boldy mentioned wasn't the only one to offer him a place to stay. "In the middle of the season, having to go get a spot, it can get old. I figured this would be easier on him. I've got a pretty good setup. Why not?"

Greenway reached out to Boldy after Boldy was informed by General Manager Bill Guerin that he could change his address.

In his first nine games since getting promoted from the American Hockey League, Boldy picked up nine points, including two game-winning goals, to set a franchise record for most points in the first nine games by a rookie who debuted with the team. He scored in his NHL debut Jan. 6 at Boston, getting the game-winner in a 3-2 victory, and the 20-year-old winger had an assist on Wednesday in Chicago to extend his career-best four-game point streak in the Wild's last game before the All-Star break after finding a groove on a line with winger Kevin Fiala and center Frederick Gaudreau.

"He's earned his way on the team, and he's played real well for us," Guerin said of Boldy, whose audition at training camp was cut short when Boldy suffered a broken ankle in a preseason game. "He's done the right things. He's a really good kid. He's a good teammate. I think the guys really like having him around. He's given us some of that youthful energy, and his play with Kevin and Freddy has been really good.

"The line has got some good chemistry going, and they're producing for us. So it's good to add him."

Despite that assurance that he's sticking with the Wild, Boldy isn't changing his approach.

"It was obviously really good to hear those words," he said. "Everyone wants to hear them. But hearing those words doesn't mean you're going to be on the power play or you're going to play this much or with these guys. So it's nice to hear. But it's not definitive of my play and where I'm going to be.

"You have to earn those, and I think so far I've done a good job and worked hard and been given opportunities, and I think I've done a decent job with them."

The Wild addressed Greenway's future earlier this week, signing the winger to a three-year, $9 million contract extension on Monday, but Guerin had no update on any other potential contract talks.

Fiala and goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen are restricted free agents with arbitration rights after the season, while defenseman Alex Goligoski and center Nico Sturm are among the unrestricted free agents.

As it stands now, the Wild has approximately $13 million in salary cap space for 2022-23 if the ceiling rises from $81.5 million to $82.5 million as expected. Almost $13 million of the team's spending power will be allocated to the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts, a hefty jump from the less than $5 million hit the Wild has on its books this season after moving on from the players last summer.

"It's no secret it's going to get tighter for the next few years," Guerin said. "But we're trying to manage it as best we can and get ahead of things if we can. It's not going to be easy, but it's not the most difficult thing in the world, either. We just have to be honest with it, and this is where we are and move forward.

"I really do think that it's become a place where guys really want to play and guys want to be here and stay here and guys believe in what we're doing as a group. That's a good feeling for us and for them."

Defenseman Jon Merrill and Sturm returned to action from the COVID list, but defenseman Matt Dumba and winger Marcus Foligno were out Wednesday because of upper-body injuries.

Foligno missed a second consecutive game after crashing into the end boards last Friday vs. the Rangers, while Dumba was hurt in an altercation with the Islanders' Anders Lee on Sunday. Both players are considered day to day.