Minnesota Wild facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Minnesota Wild
Conference	Western
Division	Central
Founded	2000
History	Minnesota Wild 2000–present
Home arena	Xcel Energy Center
City	Saint Paul, Minnesota
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 located in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild plays in the National Hockey League (NHL). They are part of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The team plays its home games at the Xcel Energy Center. Craig Leipold owns the team. The Wild also has connections with two minor league teams: the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL.

The Wild team started on June 25, 1997. They began playing in the 2000–01 season. The team was created after Minnesota's previous NHL team, the Minnesota North Stars, moved to Dallas in 1993 and became the Dallas Stars. The Wild first reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2003. They made a surprising run to the Western Conference finals but lost to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The team has been in the playoffs 14 times and won one division championship in 2008.

Team History

Getting a New Team Started

After the Minnesota North Stars left in 1993, Minnesota did not have an NHL team for seven years. Saint Paul mayor Norm Coleman worked hard to bring a new team to the city. He tried to get an existing team to move or a new team to start. In the mid-1990s, people from Minnesota bought the original Winnipeg Jets. They wanted to move the team to Minnesota. However, they could not agree on an arena deal at the Target Center. So, the Jets moved to Phoenix, Arizona instead.

After this, the NHL decided to add more teams, going from 26 to 30. A businessman from Minnetonka, Bob Naegele, Jr., became the main investor for a new team. On June 25, 1997, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced that Minnesota would get a new team. This team would start playing in the 2000–01 season. On November 20, 1997, six possible names for the team were announced: Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild.

The team was officially named the Wild on January 22, 1998. The song "Born to Be Wild" played as the name was revealed. The State of Minnesota helped fund the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul. This new arena would be the team's home. The Xcel Energy Center was finished and ready for use.

Early Years (2000–2009)

Marian Gaborik's Time with the Wild

On June 19, 2000, the Minnesota Wild named Jacques Lemaire as their first head coach.

The Wild chose Jacques Lemaire as their first head coach. They picked Marian Gaborik third overall in the 2000 NHL entry draft. Gaborik scored the Wild's first-ever goal on October 6 in Anaheim. The Wild played their first home game on October 11 against the Philadelphia Flyers, ending in a 3–3 tie. Minnesota native Darby Hendrickson scored the first home goal for the Wild. Before the game, the team retired the number 1 jersey. No player would ever wear it, honoring all Minnesota fans as the "number one" supporters.

The Wild started strong in the 2001–02 season. They earned at least one point in their first seven games. However, they finished in last place again. Still, there were signs of improvement. Gaborik had a good second season with 30 goals. Andrew Brunette led the team in scoring with 69 points.

In the 2002–03 season, Gaborik was one of the league's top scorers. The Wild made their first playoff appearance. They reached the conference finals but lost 4–0 to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Before that, the Wild beat the favored Colorado Avalanche in the first round in seven games. They came back from being down 3–1 in the series. They won games 6 and 7 in overtime. Brunette scored the winning goal in game 7. In the next round, the Wild beat the Vancouver Canucks, again in seven games. They were also down 3–1 in that series. The Wild became the first team in playoff history to win two seven-game series after facing elimination in game 5.

The 2004–05 season was canceled due to an NHL lockout. Sadly, former Wild player Sergei Zholtok passed away from a heart condition during a game in Europe.

After the Lockout

In the 2005–06 season, the Wild finished last in their division. Marian Gaborik set a new team record with 38 goals. Brian Rolston set a new high for points with 79. Goalie Dwayne Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers.

The Wild signed veteran players like Kim Johnsson and Mark Parrish. They made the playoffs in 2007 for the second time. However, they were eliminated by the Stanley Cup champions, the Anaheim Ducks.

Marian Gaborik waves to the crowd after a five-goal performance against the New York Rangers in the 2007–08 season.

The Wild broke many team records in the 2007–08 season. Marian Gaborik scored 42 goals and had 83 points, both new records. Coach Jacques Lemaire earned his 500th career win. The Wild won their first-ever Northwest Division title. They faced the Colorado Avalanche again in the playoffs but lost in six games.

After the 2008–09 season, the Wild missed the playoffs. This was partly due to a lack of scoring and injuries to Marian Gaborik. Jacques Lemaire, who had been the head coach since the team started, resigned. General manager Doug Risebrough was also fired.

Chuck Fletcher Era (2009–2018)

Mikko Koivu's Captaincy

In 2009, Marian Gaborik left to play for the New York Rangers. Team owner Craig Leipold hired Chuck Fletcher as the new general manager. Todd Richards became the head coach. Martin Havlat joined the team to help replace Gaborik. In the first month of the 2009–10 season, Mikko Koivu became the team's first full-time captain.

The Wild faced the Carolina Hurricanes at Hartwall Areena in Helsinki to open the 2010–11 season.

The Wild missed the playoffs in the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons. In the 2010 NHL entry draft, the Wild picked Finnish forward Mikael Granlund. After the 2010–11 season, coach Todd Richards was fired. Mike Yeo, who coached the Wild's minor league team, became the new head coach.

In the 2011 NHL entry draft (which the Wild hosted), they picked Jonas Brodin. The team also made big trades. They traded star defenseman Brent Burns for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and a draft pick. Later, they traded Martin Havlat for Dany Heatley. The team started the 2011–12 season very well. They were at the top of the NHL standings in early December. However, many key players got injured. This caused the team to miss the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

Parise and Suter Join the Team

In 2012, the team signed top young player Mikael Granlund. They also picked Matt Dumba in the 2012 NHL entry draft. In the same off-season, the Wild signed two big free agents: Zach Parise, who was from Minnesota, and defenseman Ryan Suter. Both signed identical 13-year contracts worth $98 million. However, a lockout delayed the start of the season until January 2013.

Zach Parise (left) and Ryan Suter (right) during the 2012–13 season. Both players signed identical 13-year contracts as free agents during the 2012 off-season.

Before the 2013 trade deadline, the Wild got Jason Pominville from the Buffalo Sabres. The team reached the playoffs for the fourth time in its history. They finished eighth in the Western Conference. They lost in five games to the Chicago Blackhawks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The NHL changed its divisions in 2013. The Wild moved into the Central Division. This meant they would play against teams like the Blackhawks, the Dallas Stars (the former Minnesota North Stars), and the St. Louis Blues. This brought back old rivalries.

Josh Harding led the NHL in save percentage and goals-against average before succumbing to injuries during the 2013–14 regular season.

The 2013–14 season was the Wild's best since 2007–08. They earned the first Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Jason Pominville scored 30 goals, becoming only the third Wild player to do so. Mikko Koivu became the team's all-time leading scorer. The Wild had problems with goalies all season. Josh Harding started strong but was injured due to his multiple sclerosis (MS). Niklas Backstrom also had a season-ending injury. 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 the Colorado Avalanche in seven games. Nino Niederreiter scored the winning goal in overtime of game 7. They then faced the defending Stanley Cup champions, Chicago, and were eliminated in six games.

In 2014, the Wild signed forward Thomas Vanek. In 2014–15, the Wild clinched a playoff spot. They beat the St. Louis Blues in the first round in six games. In the second round, they were swept by Chicago in four games.

In 2016, the Wild had a record-breaking start to the season. But then they went on a long losing streak. Coach Mike Yeo was fired. John Torchetti became the interim head coach. The team barely made the playoffs. They lost to the Dallas Stars in six games in the first round. In the 2016 off-season, the Wild signed Eric Staal. They also hired Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach.

In 2017, the Wild set new team records for points (106), wins (49), and goals scored (266). They had a 12-game winning streak. However, they lost to St. Louis in five games in the playoffs. Mikael Granlund led the team in points. Eric Staal led in goals. Mikko Koivu was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy (best defensive forward). Granlund was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy (most gentlemanly player).

After the 2017–18 season, the Wild played the Winnipeg Jets in the playoffs. The Jets won in five games. This was the third straight season the Wild did not get past the first round. On April 23, 2018, owner Leipold fired general manager Fletcher. Fletcher had been with the team for nine seasons. Under him, the Wild made the playoffs six years in a row but never got past the second round.

Rebuilding and the Kirill Kaprizov Era (2018–Present)

On May 21, 2018, Paul Fenton became the third general manager. In the 2018–19 season, the Wild struggled. Many key players did not perform as well as before. There were reports of problems within the team. Several core players like Mikael Granlund, Charlie Coyle, and Nino Niederreiter were traded. The Wild finished last in their division and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

In 2019, the Wild signed Mats Zuccarello. On July 30, 2019, Fenton was fired after only 14 months. On August 21, 2019, Bill Guerin was hired as the fourth general manager. 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 a special playoff 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 against the Los Angeles Kings in his debut. 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 franchise records for points (113) and wins (53). Kirill Kaprizov set team records for points (108), goals (47), and assists (61). They faced the St. Louis Blues in the first round of the playoffs. Even with home ice advantage and new goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, they were eliminated in six games. After this season, forward Kevin Fiala was traded to the Los Angeles Kings.

On July 7, 2022, the Wild traded goalie Cam Talbot for Filip Gustavsson. This happened five days after signing Fleury to a new contract. In the 2022–23 season, Kaprizov scored 40 goals again. The team finished with 103 points and earned third place in the Central Division. They faced the Dallas Stars in the playoffs. The Wild signed Brock Faber to his first NHL contract just before the playoffs. The Wild were eliminated in six games, marking their eighth playoff series loss in a row.

The Wild re-signed Gustavsson in 2023. They did not make many big trades or new player signings. They decided to keep most of the same team. However, many players got injured. Key players like Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, captain Jared Spurgeon, Marcus Foligno, Mats Zuccarello, and Jonas Brodin all missed a lot of time. The Wild finished the 2023–24 season with 87 points. This was their lowest total since 2018–19. They missed the playoffs for the first time since that year.

Team Information

Jerseys and Uniforms

Early Uniforms (2000–2007)

For their first seven years, the Wild wore green or white jerseys. These jerseys had red and gold stripes. The main team logo was on the front. The shoulder patch was a circle with "Minnesota Wild" written on it. The names and numbers on the green jersey were gold with red outlines. On the white jersey, they were red with gold outlines. In 2003–04, the green jersey became the home jersey, and the white one became the road jersey.

New Designs (2007–2017)

In the 2007–08 season, all jerseys changed to the new Reebok Edge system. The white jersey stayed the same. The home jersey was replaced with a new red one. It had a small team logo inside a white circle, surrounded by "Minnesota Wild" on a green background. The rest of the jersey was mostly red with green on the sleeves. The away jersey was mostly white with a larger main logo. In 2013, the lettering on the away jersey was updated. On August 30, 2009, the team showed off a new alternate jersey. It was mostly green with "Minnesota Wild" written across the chest.

On April 4, 2017, the Wild honored the Minnesota North Stars. They wore North Stars jerseys during warm-ups.

Current Uniforms (2017–Present)

On June 20, 2017, the Wild introduced a new home uniform. The NHL switched from Reebok to Adidas. The new home jersey is green with the main logo. It has a wheat-colored stripe across the middle. The arms have a wheat-colored stripe with a smaller red stripe. The Wild kept their away jersey design the same. For the 2017–18 season, the Wild did not have an alternate jersey.

On September 23, 2023, the Wild revealed a new alternate green jersey. It was based on a "Reverse Retro" design they wore earlier. This jersey added a patch on the right shoulder. It showed a colored "State of Hockey" logo. Captaincy patches were shaped like the state of Minnesota. This was the first official alternate jersey for the Wild since 2017.

Special Jerseys

• Reverse Retro Jersey: In the 2020–21 season, the Wild had a "Reverse Retro" jersey. It looked like the white Minnesota North Stars uniform from the late 1970s. The Wild logo was changed to match the North Stars' green and gold colors. 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 old Minnesota hockey teams. The jersey was mostly green with red shoulders and red and wheat stripes. The front had "MPLS.–ST. PAUL" around three symbols: a red Minnesota state shape with "MN" inside, and two wheat stars. Brown gloves and pants were used to look like old hockey gear.

Goal Horn and Songs

The Wild has had a goal horn since they started. They do not use their goal horn when they score in a shootout.

Their first goal songs were "Born to Be Wild" and "Rock and Roll Part 2" in their first season (2000–01). The next season, they kept "Rock and Roll Part 2" until 2004. After the lockout in 2005, they used a cover of "Rock and Roll Part 1." For the 2006–07 season, they changed their goal song to "Crowd Chant" by Joe Satriani.

After musician Prince passed away in April 2016, the team honored him. They adopted "Let's Go Crazy" as their goal song. After a fan poll, they kept "Let's Go Crazy" permanently starting in the 2016–17 season. "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, followed by the team's fight song, "The State of Hockey." For the short 2019–20 season, the team used "Jump Around" by House of Pain as their goal song. In the 2021–22 season, the Wild used "Shout" by The Isley Brothers as their goal song. "Let's Go Crazy" is still the win song.

Team Logo

An alternate logo since 2003.

The Wild's main logo shows both a forest and the shape of a wild animal. The animal's "eye" is the North Star. This honors the former Minnesota North Stars team and Minnesota's state motto, L'Étoile du Nord (meaning "The Star of the North"). The animal's mouth represents the Mississippi River, which starts in Minnesota. People often debate what animal the logo shows, making it a unique and complex design in sports.

In 2008, "Nordy" was introduced as the team's official mascot.

Team Ownership

The team was first owned by Bob Naegele, Jr.. On January 10, 2008, it was announced that Craig Leipold would buy the team. Leipold used to own the Nashville Predators. The NHL officially approved his purchase on April 10, 2008. Leipold is the main owner of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE). This company includes the Minnesota Wild, their minor league team the Iowa Wild, and manages the Xcel Energy Center and Saint Paul RiverCentre.

Community Involvement

The Minnesota Wild helps the community through the Minnesota Wild Foundation. They support hockey with events like Hockey Day Minnesota. This event has been celebrated every year since 2007. The Wild has a good record on Hockey Day Minnesota, winning most of their games. Since 2017, the Wild has a tradition called "This Is Our Ice." Fans bring water from local ponds, lakes, and rinks. This water is then added to the Xcel Energy Center ice for the season.

Minor League Teams

Minnesota currently has two minor league teams: the Iowa Wild (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL). The Iowa Wild team is owned by the Minnesota Wild. It moved from Houston in 2013.

Former Minor League Teams

Recent Season Records

This is a list of the last five seasons for the Wild. Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Players and Staff

Team Captains

Note: For their first nine seasons, the Wild rotated the captaincy each month among several players. After Todd Richards became head coach in 2009, Mikko Koivu became the team's first permanent captain on October 20, 2009.

Rotating Captains (2000–2009)

Permanent Captains (2009–Present)

• Mikko Koivu, 2009–2020
• Jared Spurgeon, 2021–present

Retired Numbers

The NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its teams in 2000.

Hall of Famers

As of 2024, no Minnesota Wild player has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, Jacques Lemaire, who coached the team, is in the Hall of Fame as a player (inducted in 1985).

First-Round Draft Picks

Awards and Trophies

Team Records

Top Scorers in Team History

Recording 709 points as a member of the Wild, Mikko Koivu is the franchise's all-time point leaders.

These are the top ten players with the most points in the team's history. Numbers are updated after each NHL regular season.

•  *  – current Wild player

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Individual Player Records

Niklas Backstrom holds the franchise record for most wins, winning 194 games as the Wild's goaltender.

• Most Games Played: 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 by a Defenseman: 51, Ryan Suter (2015–16, 2017–18)
• Most Points in a Season by a Rookie: 51, Kirill Kaprizov (2020–21)
• Most Goals in a Single Game: 5, Marian Gaborik (December 20, 2007, vs. New York Rangers)
• Fastest 3 Goals: 11:12, Zach Parise (2015–16)
• Most Wins by a Goaltender: 194, Niklas Backstrom
• Most Wins in a Season by a Goaltender: 40, Devan Dubnyk (2016–17)
• Most Shutouts in a Season: 8, Niklas Backstrom (2008–09)
• Best Plus/Minus in a Season: +41, Alex Goligoski (2021–22)
• Most Ice Time Per Game in a Season: 29:25, Ryan Suter, (2013–14)
• Most Consecutive Goaltender Starts: 38, Devan Dubnyk, (January 15, 2015 – April 7, 2015)
• Most Consecutive Shutouts: 3, Devan Dubnyk

See also

In Spanish: Minnesota Wild para niños