Boldy and Kaprizov Battle for Wild Goals Lead

The pair have combined for 84 goals this season, after scoring four of the five to spur a win in Detroit.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 12:53am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic action of a hockey game, with the players and puck represented as abstract geometric shapes in the team colors of the Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings.The friendly rivalry between Minnesota Wild stars Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov fuels an exciting late-season battle for the team's goal-scoring title.Vancouver Today

Minnesota Wild forwards Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov have emerged as the team's top goal scorers this season, with both players already reaching the 40-goal mark. The pair have been engaged in a friendly competition to finish the season as the Wild's leading goal scorer, with Boldy and Kaprizov combining for four of the team's five goals in a recent win over the Detroit Red Wings.

Why it matters

The race between Boldy and Kaprizov for the Wild's goal-scoring title is an exciting storyline as the team pushes for a strong finish to the regular season and a deep playoff run. Their friendly rivalry and team-first mentality set a positive example for the rest of the roster.

The details

Boldy scored his career-best 41st goal of the season to take the team lead, but Kaprizov quickly responded by scoring his 41st and 42nd goals to reclaim the top spot. With the game on the line in the final minutes, Boldy set up Kaprizov for the game-winning power-play goal, his 43rd of the season. The pair have combined for 84 goals this season, surpassing the previous franchise record of 42 goals in a season.

  • Boldy scored his 41st goal to take the team lead on the opening shift of the second period on Sunday.
  • Kaprizov scored his 41st and 42nd goals in the middle frame to regain the team lead.
  • With less than two minutes remaining, Boldy set up Kaprizov for the game-winning power-play goal, his 43rd of the season.

The players

Matt Boldy

A 25-year-old forward for the Minnesota Wild who has emerged as one of the team's top goal scorers, reaching a career-high 41 goals this season.

Kirill Kaprizov

A star forward for the Minnesota Wild who set a franchise record with 47 goals last season and is on pace to surpass that mark this year, currently sitting at 43 goals.

John Hynes

The head coach of the Minnesota Wild, who has praised the healthy competition between Boldy and Kaprizov as they battle for the team's goal-scoring title.

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What they’re saying

“It's nice. We help each other and help the team. He score, then I want to score. I score, he want to score … I think it's like that and it's fun to see, I think, for the fans and for the team.”

— Kirill Kaprizov

“I think it depends on the type of people. I think you could be in a different situation with guys that aren't as team driven as both of them are. I think it's no different than our goaltenders. Like, even if you look back last year with (Marc-Andre Fleury) and Gus. And then you look this year, Gus and Wally, so I think it's good. I think when you have good players that are playing the same positions, and in their case, in Kirill and Boldy, they're both high-end players, but I think for them to have a healthy competition, I always think that that's positive, particularly the way that they've handled it.”

— John Hynes, Head Coach, Minnesota Wild

What’s next

The Wild have five regular season games remaining, and the race between Boldy and Kaprizov for the team's goal-scoring title is likely to come down to the wire.

The takeaway

The friendly competition between Boldy and Kaprizov has brought out the best in both players and helped fuel the Wild's success this season. Their team-first mentality and willingness to support each other sets a positive example for the entire roster as the team prepares for the playoffs.