{"id":465992,"date":"2026-02-21T19:23:17","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T19:23:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/465992\/"},"modified":"2026-02-21T19:23:17","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T19:23:17","slug":"minnesota-wild-olympians-making-an-impact-playing-for-gold-on-team-usa-the-hockey-writers-minnesota-wild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/465992\/","title":{"rendered":"Minnesota Wild Olympians Making an Impact Playing for Gold on Team USA – The Hockey Writers – Minnesota Wild"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the 2026 Winter Olympics <\/a>coming to a close, the Minnesota Wild have three players left in contention for the gold medal on Team USA. Of course, they\u2019re the three that have garnered the most attention as well. One of them made quite a stir as the newest member of the Wild: Quinn Hughes. The next is second in points for the Wild and was on a scoring streak before the break: Matt Boldy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The third and final player is turning into one of the best defensemen the Wild have had, and he\u2019s only 23 years old: Brock Faber. All three of these players have worked hard for the Wild and also Team USA. While Hughes has easily made the most noticeable impact, Boldy and Faber have done a lot of work behind the scenes. In this article, we\u2019ll catch up on their Olympic antics so far and what they need to do to help secure the gold for their team, starting with Faber.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Faber\u2019s Quiet but Impactful<\/p>\n

Brock Faber<\/a> is exactly who every hockey-playing kid in Minnesota dreams of being when they grow up. He\u2019s a born and raised Minnesotan who played his youth, high school, and college hockey in Minnesota, all for the town he grew up in rather than going the junior path. Although he was going to break the streak and play NHL hockey for a different team based on who drafted him, that also changed when he was traded to Minnesota.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s competing in the Olympics for the second time<\/a>, and he\u2019s getting a chance to compete for the gold for the first time. While his production in this tournament isn\u2019t at the top of the team, his defensive contributions are at the forefront. He\u2019s made a number of strong plays that have helped keep the puck out of his own net, and he\u2019s also added a goal and an assist for two points in five games.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Regardless of how he\u2019s played in the first five games of the tournament, how he plays in the gold medal game means everything. To get past Canada, USA is going to need Faber to dig deep and find yet another level to his game. They\u2019ll need him blocking shots, keeping the Canadians to the outside, and if he can, an offensive contribution would be great as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Boldy\u2019s Game Shines\u00a0<\/p>\n

Matt Boldy<\/a> had a strong start to the season for the Wild, and he\u2019s on pace to have the best season of his career. He\u2019s played in 54 games and produced 32 goals plus 30 assists for 62 points, but his defensive game hasn\u2019t lacked either. He\u2019s willing to block shots and jump in defensively when he\u2019s needed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As far as his Olympic contributions, he\u2019s kept his offense going with a goal and two assists for three points in five games. Like Faber, he\u2019s not near the top for USA, however, he\u2019s still contributing, and one of those assists was on a game-winning goal that got them past Sweden in overtime, and it was scored by his Wild teammate, Hughes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"QuinnFeb 18, 2026; Milan, Italy; Quinn Hughes (43) of the United States celebrates his winning goal in overtime against Sweden in a men\u2019s ice hockey quarterfinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

To get past Canada for the gold, Boldy is going to have to step up<\/a> his offense and find a way through to the net as much as possible. He\u2019s proven he can handle the puck and score creatively, which is exactly what USA needs if they want to get past Canada. He already has a smooth wrap-around goal this tournament, hopefully he can add a few more.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hughes Leading the Way Again<\/p>\n

Quinn Hughes made an immediate impact for the Wild when he joined them following a trade back in December, and since then, he\u2019s only gotten better. He had almost instant chemistry with his Wild teammates, and that\u2019s translated to USA as well. While his play is strong on its own, he\u2019s also helped his teammates find more levels to their games, especially Faber and Boldy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although Faber and Boldy aren\u2019t near the top of USA\u2019s stats, Hughes is right at the top. He\u2019s scored a goal and assisted on six others for seven total points in five games. His lone goal was the game-winner in overtime against Sweden that secured them a spot in the semi-finals. Boldy secured the main assist on the goal, and their Wild chemistry really showed.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Hughes has already made an impressive impact for USA, but if they want to get that gold medal<\/a>, he\u2019s going to have to play one of the best games of his career. They\u2019ll need both his offense and defensive contributions, plus that Wild chemistry with his teammates has proven to be an added bonus.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Related: Wild Fans Can Be Concerned About Possible Olympic Injuries<\/a><\/p>\n

All three of the Wild players have found ways to contribute to USA, even if it\u2019s more behind the scenes. However, USA is going to need all three of them and the rest of the team playing at the top of their game to win gold against the Canadians. Hopefully, they can find that next level and bring home gold for the<\/a> first time since 1980.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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