Team USA and Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin made it clear that forward Matt Boldy will be at the 4 Nations on merit, not because he's a member of the Wild.
"As we kept narrowing down the names last fall, (Boldy) stayed on the list," Guerin told NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger. "At one point, I said to my (Team USA) staff: 'I'm not just doing this because he plays on my NHL team. Watch him and tell me I'm wrong.'"
Boldy has 18 goals and 45 points in 54 games this season to rank 13th among American skaters. The 23-year-old is the second-youngest forward on Team USA's roster behind New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes.
The Massachusetts native was exceptional at the World Championship last spring. Boldy tallied six goals, and he led the tournament with 14 points in eight games.
"It's not just from what he did at the Worlds," Guerin explained. "But to see him emerge, to see him embrace the opportunity to represent his country and take the next step while donning our jersey, that's impressive."
Wild head coach John Hynes saw Boldy's standout performance firsthand as Team USA's bench boss at the Worlds.
"Matty's a guy that's coming into his prime," Hynes said. "I had the opportunity to go with him to the World Championships last year, and he was able to play outside of the organization with other NHL players. He was on a line with (Johnny) Gaudreau and Brock Nelson, and he flourished."
Boldy is excited for his opportunity to don the Team USA jersey at the 4 Nations.
"It was so great to make the team," he said. "It had been something I'd been striving for all year. You always have the expectation on yourself that you can do it, and that you can play well enough to be considered."
Team USA captain and Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews lauded Boldy's potential.
"(Boldy's) really good," Matthews said. "He's solid in all areas of his game. We only play them twice a year, but every time, he seems to get better and better. He's got a big ceiling."
The 4 Nations Face-Off starts Feb. 12. The United States opens its tournament Feb. 13 against Finland.
