With the 2026 Winter Olympics coming to a close, the Minnesota Wild have three players left in contention for the gold medal on Team USA. Of course, they’re 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.
The third and final player is turning into one of the best defensemen the Wild have had, and he’s 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’ll 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.
Faber’s Quiet but Impactful
Brock Faber is exactly who every hockey-playing kid in Minnesota dreams of being when they grow up. He’s 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.
Now he’s competing in the Olympics for the second time, and he’s getting a chance to compete for the gold for the first time. While his production in this tournament isn’t at the top of the team, his defensive contributions are at the forefront. He’s made a number of strong plays that have helped keep the puck out of his own net, and he’s also added a goal and an assist for two points in five games.
Regardless of how he’s 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’ll need him blocking shots, keeping the Canadians to the outside, and if he can, an offensive contribution would be great as well.
Boldy’s Game Shines
Matt Boldy had a strong start to the season for the Wild, and he’s on pace to have the best season of his career. He’s played in 54 games and produced 32 goals plus 30 assists for 62 points, but his defensive game hasn’t lacked either. He’s willing to block shots and jump in defensively when he’s needed.
As far as his Olympic contributions, he’s kept his offense going with a goal and two assists for three points in five games. Like Faber, he’s not near the top for USA, however, he’s 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.
To get past Canada for the gold, Boldy is going to have to step up his offense and find a way through to the net as much as possible. He’s 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.
Hughes Leading the Way Again
Quinn Hughes made an immediate impact for the Wild when he joined them following a trade back in December, and since then, he’s only gotten better. He had almost instant chemistry with his Wild teammates, and that’s translated to USA as well. While his play is strong on its own, he’s also helped his teammates find more levels to their games, especially Faber and Boldy.
Although Faber and Boldy aren’t near the top of USA’s stats, Hughes is right at the top. He’s 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.
Hughes has already made an impressive impact for USA, but if they want to get that gold medal, he’s going to have to play one of the best games of his career. They’ll need both his offense and defensive contributions, plus that Wild chemistry with his teammates has proven to be an added bonus.
Related: Wild Fans Can Be Concerned About Possible Olympic Injuries
All three of the Wild players have found ways to contribute to USA, even if it’s 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 first time since 1980.
