Minnesota Wild facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Minnesota Wild |
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| Conference | Western |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 2000 |
| History | Minnesota Wild 2000–present |
| Home arena | Grand Casino Arena |
| City | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
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| Colors | Forest green, iron range red, harvest gold, Minnesota wheat |
| Media | FanDuel Sports Network North KFAN (100.3 FM) |
| Owner(s) | Craig Leipold |
| General manager | Bill Guerin |
| Head coach | John Hynes |
| Captain | Jared Spurgeon |
| Minor league affiliates | Iowa Wild (AHL) Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 0 |
| Conference championships | 0 |
| Presidents' Trophies | 0 |
| Division championships | 1 (2007–08) |
The Minnesota Wild is a professional ice hockey team. They are based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild play in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are part of the Central Division in the Western Conference. Their home games are played at the Grand Casino Arena. Craig Leipold owns the team. The Wild also have minor league teams. These are the Iowa Wild (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL).
The Wild team started on June 25, 1997. They began playing in the 2000–01 season. The team was created after the Minnesota North Stars left Minnesota. The North Stars played in Minnesota from 1967 to 1993. They then moved to Dallas and became the Dallas Stars. The Wild first reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2003. They made it to the Western Conference finals. They lost to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The team has been in the playoffs 14 times. They won one division championship in 2008.
Contents
Team History
Starting a New Team
After the Minnesota North Stars left in 1993, Minnesota had no NHL team for seven seasons. Saint Paul leaders worked to bring a new team to the city. They almost got the original Winnipeg Jets. But arena talks failed, and the Jets moved to Phoenix.
The NHL then decided to add more teams. Bob Naegele, Jr. led a group to get a team for Minnesota. On June 25, 1997, the NHL announced Minnesota would get a new team. This team would start playing in the 2000–01 season. Six names were considered: Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild.
On January 22, 1998, the team was officially named the Wild. This was announced with the song "Born to Be Wild" playing. The state helped fund the new arena, the Xcel Energy Center. This arena was built in Saint Paul. The Wild also partnered with the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. This was a unique partnership between a pro team and an amateur sports group.
Early Years (2000–2009)
The Marian Gaborik Era
The Wild chose Jacques Lemaire as their first head coach. They drafted Marian Gaborik third overall in the 2000 NHL entry draft. Gaborik scored the Wild's first goal on October 6 in Anaheim. The first home game was on October 11 against the Philadelphia Flyers. It ended in a 3–3 tie. Darby Hendrickson scored the first home goal. The team retired the number 1 jersey to honor all Minnesota fans.
A big game was against the Dallas Stars, the former Minnesota North Stars. The Wild won 6–0 in front of a huge crowd. The first season ended with Scott Pellerin as the top scorer. Gaborik, Hendrickson, and Wes Walz each scored 18 goals.
In the 2001–02 season, the Wild started strong. They earned points in their first seven games. But they finished last with a 26–35–12–6 record. Gaborik showed improvement with 30 goals. Andrew Brunette led the team with 69 points.
The 2002–03 season was exciting. Gaborik was a top scorer early on. The Wild made their first playoffs. They surprised everyone by reaching the conference finals. They beat the favored Colorado Avalanche in seven games. They came back from a 3–1 series deficit. Brunette scored the winning goal in overtime. Then, they beat the Vancouver Canucks in seven games. They again came back from a 3–1 deficit. This made them the first team to do this twice in one playoff year. They eventually lost to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
The 2003–04 season started tough. Key players Pascal Dupuis and Gaborik held out. The team struggled early on. They missed the playoffs despite a strong finish. They traded older players like Brad Bombardir and Jim Dowd.
The 2004–05 season was canceled. Former Wild player Sergei Zholtok sadly passed away from a heart condition.
After the Lockout
In the 2005–06 season, the Wild finished last in their division. Marian Gaborik set a new record with 38 goals. Brian Rolston set a record with 79 points. Goalie Dwayne Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers.
The Wild signed new players like Kim Johnsson and Mark Parrish. They traded for Pavol Demitra. Niklas Backstrom became the starting goalie. The Wild made the playoffs in 2007. This was their second time. They lost to the Anaheim Ducks, who later won the Stanley Cup.
The 2007–08 season saw the Wild break many records. Marian Gaborik scored 42 goals and 83 points. Coach Jacques Lemaire earned his 500th career win. The Wild won their first Northwest Division title. They faced the Colorado Avalanche again in the playoffs. But they were eliminated in six games.
In 2008, the Wild brought back Andrew Brunette. They also added Marek Zidlicky. They signed Antti Miettinen and Owen Nolan.
The Wild missed the playoffs in 2008–09. This was partly due to low scoring and Gaborik's injuries. Coach Jacques Lemaire resigned. General Manager Doug Risebrough was also fired. This led to many changes in the team's leadership.
Chuck Fletcher Era (2009–2018)
Mikko Koivu Years
In 2009, Marian Gaborik left to join the New York Rangers. Craig Leipold, the team owner, hired Chuck Fletcher as general manager. Todd Richards became the new head coach. Martin Havlat was signed to help replace Gaborik. In the 2009–10 season, Mikko Koivu became the Wild's first full-time captain.
The Wild missed the playoffs in both the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons. In the 2010 NHL entry draft, they picked Mikael Granlund. They started the 2010–11 season with two games in Helsinki. After that season, Coach Todd Richards was fired. Mike Yeo became the new head coach.
In the 2011 NHL entry draft, the Wild picked Jonas Brodin. They also made big trades. They sent Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks. They got Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and a draft pick. Later, they traded Martin Havlat for Dany Heatley. The team started the season well. They were at the top of the NHL in December. But injuries to key players caused them to miss the playoffs again.
Parise–Suter Era
In 2012, the Wild signed top prospect Mikael Granlund. They drafted Matt Dumba. They also signed two big free agents. These were Zach Parise, a local player, and defenseman Ryan Suter. Both signed 13-year, $98 million contracts. However, the 2012–13 NHL lockout delayed the start of the season.
Before the 2013 trade deadline, the Wild acquired Jason Pominville. They got him from the Buffalo Sabres. The team reached the playoffs for the fourth time. They beat the Colorado Avalanche on April 27, 2013. They finished eighth in the Western Conference. They lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in five games. The Blackhawks went on to win the Stanley Cup.
The NHL changed its divisions in 2013. The Wild moved to the Central Division. This put them with rivals like the Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars. The Stars were the former Minnesota North Stars. This move brought back old rivalries.
The 2013–14 season was strong for the Wild. Jason Pominville scored 30 goals. Mikko Koivu became the team's all-time leading scorer. The team faced goalie problems. Josh Harding played well but had health issues. Backstrom also got injured. The Wild used five different goalies that year. They acquired Ilya Bryzgalov, Matt Moulson, and Cody McCormick at the trade deadline. In the playoffs, they beat Colorado in seven games. Nino Niederreiter scored the winning goal in game 7. They then lost to the Chicago Blackhawks in six games.
In 2014, the Wild signed Thomas Vanek. In 2014–15, they made the playoffs again. They beat the St. Louis Blues in the first round. But they were swept by Chicago in the second round.
In 2016, the Wild started with a record-setting win streak. But then they lost many games. Coach Mike Yeo was fired. John Torchetti became the interim coach. The team barely made the playoffs. They lost to the Dallas Stars in six games. In the off-season, the Wild signed Eric Staal. They also hired Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach.
In 2017, the Wild set new records for points (106) and wins (49). They had a 12-game winning streak. But they lost to St. Louis in five playoff games. Mikael Granlund led the team in points. Eric Staal led in goals. Mikko Koivu was a finalist for a top defensive award.
The 2017 off-season saw many player changes. Erik Haula left in the expansion draft. Jason Pominville and Marco Scandella were traded. Matt Cullen, a Minnesota native, returned to the team. Captain Mikko Koivu signed a new contract.
The Wild had another strong regular season in 2017–18. They reached 100 points. They faced the Winnipeg Jets in the playoffs. The Jets beat them in five games. This was the third straight year the Wild lost in the first round. Owner Leipold fired General Manager Fletcher after nine seasons.
Rebuilding and the Kirill Kaprizov Era (2018–present)
On May 21, 2018, Paul Fenton became the new general manager. In the 2018–19 season, the Wild struggled. They finished last in their division. Many key players did not play as well. There were reports of problems within the team. This led to trades of players like Mikael Granlund and Charlie Coyle. The Wild missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
In 2019, the Wild signed Mats Zuccarello. On July 30, 2019, Fenton was fired. Bill Guerin became the new general manager on August 21, 2019. On February 14, 2020, Coach Bruce Boudreau was fired. Dean Evason became the interim head coach. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wild played in the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs qualifying round. They were eliminated by the Vancouver Canucks.
Kirill Kaprizov played his first NHL game in January 2021. He scored the winning goal in overtime. On September 21, 2021, Kirill Kaprizov signed a five-year, $45 million contract. This made him the highest-paid second-year player in NHL history.
In the 2021–22 season, the team set new records. They had 113 points and 53 wins. Kirill Kaprizov set franchise records. He had 108 points, 47 goals, and 61 assists. They faced the St. Louis Blues in the playoffs. Despite having home ice and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, they lost in six games. After this season, Kevin Fiala was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.
On July 7, 2022, the Wild traded goalie Cam Talbot. They got Filip Gustavsson from the Ottawa Senators. Kaprizov had another great season with 40 goals. The team struggled defensively at first. But they finished with 103 points. They earned third place in their division. They faced the Dallas Stars in the playoffs. The Wild lost in six games. This was their eighth straight playoff series loss.
The Wild re-signed Gustavsson in 2023. They kept most of their team. Brock Faber and Marco Rossi played very well. Kaprizov scored 40 goals again. But many players got injured. Key players like Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and captain Jared Spurgeon missed time. The Wild finished with 87 points. They missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Arrival of Quinn Hughes
On December 12, 2025, the Wild acquired defenseman Quinn Hughes. They traded Marco Rossi, Liam Öhgren, Zeev Buium, and a 2026 first-round pick. This was a very important trade for the team. Hughes was the 2023-24 Norris Trophy winner. He joined a team that was among the top in the Western Conference.
Team Information
Jerseys and Uniforms
Early Jerseys (2000–2007)
For their first seven years, the Wild wore green or white jerseys. They had red and gold stripes. The main team logo was on the front. The shoulder patch showed "Minnesota Wild" in a circle. Green jerseys had gold numbers with red outlines. White jerseys had red numbers with gold outlines. In 2003–04, green became the home color and white became the road color.
New Designs (2007–2017)
In the 2007–08 season, new Reebok Edge uniforms were used. The white jersey stayed similar. The home jersey changed to mostly red with green sections. It had a smaller team logo. The away jersey used a larger main logo. In 2009, a green alternate jersey was added. It had "Minnesota Wild" written across the chest.
In 2017, the Wild honored the Minnesota North Stars. They wore North Stars jerseys during warm-ups.
Modern Jerseys (2017–Present)
On June 20, 2017, the Wild introduced a new home uniform. It was a green jersey with the main logo. It had a wheat-colored stripe across the middle. The arms also had wheat and red stripes. The away jersey design stayed the same.
On September 23, 2023, the Wild showed a new alternate green jersey. It was based on a "Reverse Retro" design. This jersey added a "State of Hockey" patch on the shoulder. Captaincy patches were shaped like Minnesota. This was the first official alternate jersey since 2017.
Special Jerseys
Reverse Retro Jerseys
In the 2020–21 season, the Wild had a "Reverse Retro" jersey. It looked like the old Minnesota North Stars white uniform. The Wild logo was changed to green and gold. This design was used again in the 2022–23 season, but with green as the main color.
Winter Classic Jersey
For the 2022 Winter Classic, the Wild wore a special jersey. It was inspired by early Minnesota hockey teams. It was mostly green with red and wheat stripes. The front had "MPLS.–ST. PAUL" and symbols for Minnesota. Brown gloves and pants were used to look like old hockey gear.
25th Anniversary Jersey
During the 2025–26 season, the Wild brought back their original 2000–2013 white jersey. They wore it for four games to celebrate their 25th anniversary.
Goal Horn and Songs
The Wild have used a goal horn since they started. They do not use it for shootout goals. Their first goal songs were "Born to Be Wild" and "Rock and Roll Part 2" in 2000–01. Later, they used "Crowd Chant" by Joe Satriani. After Prince passed away in 2016, they used "Let's Go Crazy" as their goal song. "Crowd Chant" became their win song. For the 2018–19 season, "Crowd Chant" returned as the goal song. "Let's Go Crazy" became the win song. In the 2021-22 Season, the Wild used "Shout" by The Isley Brothers as their goal song. "Let's Go Crazy" remains the win song.
Team Logo
The Wild's main logo shows a forest scene and a wild animal. The animal's "eye" is the North Star. This honors the old Minnesota North Stars. It also refers to Minnesota's motto, L'Étoile du Nord (Star of the North). The animal's mouth looks like the Mississippi River, which starts in Minnesota. People often debate what animal the logo shows.
Team Mascot
In 2008, "Nordy" was introduced. He is the official mascot of the Minnesota Wild.
Team Ownership
The team was first owned by Bob Naegele, Jr.. On January 10, 2008, it was announced that Craig Leipold bought the team. He used to own the Nashville Predators. The NHL approved his purchase on April 10, 2008.
Leipold is the main owner of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE). This group includes the Wild and their minor league team, the Iowa Wild. They also manage the Grand Casino Arena and other venues.
Community Involvement
The Minnesota Wild help their community. They do this through the Minnesota Wild Foundation. They also support hockey with events like Hockey Day Minnesota. This event has been held every year since 2007. The Wild have a good record on Hockey Day Minnesota. Since 2017, fans can bring water from local ponds and rinks. This water is added to the Grand Casino Arena ice for the season. This tradition is called "This Is Our Ice."
Minor League Teams
Minnesota has two minor league teams. These are the Iowa Wild (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL). The Iowa Wild team is owned by the Minnesota Wild. They moved the team from Houston in 2013.
Former Minor League Teams
- Alaska Aces
- Allen Americans
- Austin Ice Bats
- Bakersfield Condors
- Cleveland Lumberjacks
- Houston Aeros
- Johnstown Chiefs
- Louisiana IceGators
- Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Orlando Solar Bears
- Quad City Mallards
- Rapid City Rush
- Texas Wildcatters
Season Records
This is a list of the last five seasons for the Wild. For all seasons, see List of Minnesota Wild seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 35 | 16 | 5 | 75 | 181 | 160 | 3rd, West | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Golden Knights) |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | 310 | 253 | 2nd, Central | Lost in first round, 2–4 (Blues) |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 46 | 25 | 11 | 103 | 246 | 225 | 3rd, Central | Lost in first round, 2–4 (Stars) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 39 | 34 | 9 | 87 | 251 | 263 | 6th, Central | Did not qualify |
| 2024–25 | 82 | 45 | 30 | 7 | 97 | 228 | 239 | 4th, Central | Lost in first round, 2–4 (Golden Knights) |
Players and Team Staff
Current Roster
Updated January 2, 2023
| # | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 |  |
Calen Addison | D | R | 25 | 2020 | Brandon, Manitoba |
| 12 |  |
Matthew Boldy | RW | L | 25 | 2019 | Millis, Massachusetts |
| 25 |  |
Jonas Brodin | D | L | 32 | 2011 | Karlstad, Sweden |
| 26 | |
Connor Dewar | C | L | 26 | 2018 | The Pas, Manitoba |
| 21 | |
Brandon Duhaime  |
LW | L | 28 | 2016 | Coral Springs, Florida |
| 24 | |
Matt Dumba (A) | D | R | 31 | 2012 | Regina, Saskatchewan |
| 14 | |
Joel Eriksson Ek | C | L | 29 | 2015 | Karlstad, Sweden |
| 29 | |
Marc-Andre Fleury | G | L | 41 | 2022 | Sorel-Tracy, Quebec |
| 17 | |
Marcus Foligno (A) | RW | L | 34 | 2017 | Buffalo, New York |
| 89 | |
Frederick Gaudreau | C | R | 32 | 2021 | Bromont, Quebec |
| 33 | |
Alex Goligoski | D | L | 40 | 2021 | Grand Rapids, Minnesota |
| 18 | |
Jordan Greenway | LW | L | 29 | 2015 | Canton, New York |
| 32 | |
Filip Gustavsson | G | L | 27 | 2022 | Skelleftea, Sweden |
| 38 | |
Ryan Hartman | C | R | 31 | 2019 | Hilton Head Island, South Carolina |
| 97 |  |
Kirill Kaprizov | LW | L | 28 | 2015 | Novokuznetsk, Russia |
| 4 | |
Jon Merrill | D | L | 34 | 2021 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| 5 | |
Jake Middleton | D | L | 30 | 2022 | Stratford, Ontario |
| 75 | |
Ryan Reaves | RW | R | 39 | 2022 | Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| 15 | |
Mason Shaw | C | L | 27 | 2017 | Lloydminster, Alberta |
| 46 | |
Jared Spurgeon (C) | D | R | 36 | 2010 | Edmonton, Alberta |
| 13 | |
Sam Steel | C | L | 28 | 2022 | Ardrossan, Alberta |
| 36 |  |
Mats Zuccarello | RW | L | 38 | 2019 | Oslo, Norway |
Team Captains
The Wild rotated their captaincy for the first nine seasons. Different players wore the "C" each month. In 2009, Mikko Koivu became the first permanent captain.
Rotating Captains (2000–2009)
- 2000–01
- Sean O'Donnell – October 2000
- Scott Pellerin – November 2000
- Wes Walz – December 2000
- Brad Bombardir – January and February 2001
- Darby Hendrickson – March and April 2001
- 2001–02
- Jim Dowd – October 2001
- Filip Kuba – November 2001
- Brad Brown – December 2001 and January 2002
- Andrew Brunette – February, March and April 2002
- 2002–03
- Brad Bombardir – October and November 2002, February, March, April and playoffs 2003
- Matt Johnson – December 2002
- Sergei Zholtok – January 2003
- 2003–04
- Brad Brown – October 2003
- Andrew Brunette – November 2003, March and April 2004
- Richard Park – December 2003
- Brad Bombardir – January 2004
- Jim Dowd – February 2004
- 2005–06
- Alex Henry – September 2005
- Filip Kuba – November 2005
- Willie Mitchell – December 2005 and January 2006
- Brian Rolston – February 2006
- Wes Walz – March and April 2006
- 2006–07
- Brian Rolston – October, November 2006 and January 2007
- Keith Carney – December 2006
- Mark Parrish – February, March, April and playoffs 2007
- 2007–08
- Pavol Demitra – October 2007
- Brian Rolston – November 2007
- Mark Parrish – December 2007
- Nick Schultz – January 2008
- Mikko Koivu – February 2008
- Marian Gaborik – March and April 2008
- 2008–09
- Mikko Koivu – October, November 2008, January 2009, March and April 2009
- Kim Johnsson – December 2008
- Andrew Brunette – February 2009
Permanent Captains (2009–Present)
- Mikko Koivu, 2009–2020
- Jared Spurgeon, 2021–present
Retired Numbers
The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all teams in 2000.
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Date of honor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wild Fans | October 11, 2000 | ||
| 9 | Mikko Koivu | C | 2005–2020 | March 13, 2022 |
Hall of Famers
As of 2024, no Minnesota Wild player has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, Jacques Lemaire, a former coach, was inducted as a player in 1985.
First-Round Draft Picks
- 2000: Marian Gaborik (3rd overall)
- 2001: Mikko Koivu (6th overall)
- 2002: Pierre-Marc Bouchard (8th overall)
- 2003: Brent Burns (20th overall)
- 2004: A. J. Thelen (12th overall)
- 2005: Benoit Pouliot (4th overall)
- 2006: James Sheppard (9th overall)
- 2007: Colton Gillies (16th overall)
- 2008: Tyler Cuma (23rd overall)
- 2009: Nick Leddy (16th overall)
- 2010: Mikael Granlund (9th overall)
- 2011: Jonas Brodin (10th overall) and Zack Phillips (28th overall)
- 2012: Matt Dumba (7th overall)
- 2014: Alex Tuch (18th overall)
- 2015: Joel Eriksson Ek (20th overall)
- 2016: Luke Kunin (15th overall)
- 2018: Filip Johansson (24th overall)
- 2019: Matt Boldy (12th overall)
- 2020: Marco Rossi (9th overall)
- 2021: Jesper Wallstedt (20th overall) and Carson Lambos (26th overall)
- 2022: Liam Ohgren (19th overall) and Danila Yurov (24th overall)
- 2023: Charlie Stramel (21st overall)
- 2024: Zeev Buium (12th overall)
Awards and Trophies
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
- Josh Harding: 2012–13
- Devan Dubnyk: 2014–15
- Kirill Kaprizov: 2020–21
- Jacques Lemaire: 2002–03
Roger Crozier Saving Grace Award
King Clancy Memorial Trophy
- Matt Dumba: 2019–20
- Jason Zucker: 2018–19
- Manny Fernandez and Niklas Backstrom: 2006–07
NHL All-Rookie Team
- Jonas Brodin: 2012–13
- Kirill Kaprizov: 2020–21
- Brock Faber: 2023–24
Franchise Records
Top Scorers in Team History
These are the top ten players with the most points for the Wild. Numbers are updated after each NHL season.
- * – current Wild player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
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Individual Player Records
- Most games played with franchise: 1,028, Mikko Koivu (2005–20)
- Most goals in a season: 47, Kirill Kaprizov (2021–22)
- Most assists in a season: 61, Kirill Kaprizov (2021–22)
- Most points in a season: 108, Kirill Kaprizov (2021–22)
- Most penalty minutes in a season: 201, Matt Johnson (2002–03)
- Most points in a season, defenseman: 51, Ryan Suter (2015–16, 2017–18)
- Most points in a season, rookie: 51, Kirill Kaprizov (2020–21)
- Most goals in a game: 5, Marian Gaborik (December 20, 2007, vs. New York Rangers)
- Fastest 3 goals: 11:12, Zach Parise (2015–16)
- Most wins by a goalie: 194, Niklas Backstrom
- Most wins in a season by a goalie: 40, Devan Dubnyk (2016–17)
- Most shutouts in a season: 8, Niklas Backstrom (2008–09)
- Best +/- in a season: +41, Alex Goligoski (2021–22)
- Most time on ice per game in a season: 29:25, Ryan Suter, (2013–14)
- Most consecutive starts for goaltender: 38, Devan Dubnyk, (January 15, 2015 – April 7, 2015)
- Most consecutive shutouts: 3, Devan Dubnyk
See Also
In Spanish: Minnesota Wild para niños
- List of Minnesota Wild general managers
- List of Minnesota Wild head coaches
- List of Minnesota Wild players
- List of Minnesota Wild broadcasters
