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149-950: The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota . The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference . The team plays its home games at the Xcel Energy Center , and is owned by Craig Leipold . The Wild are affiliated with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders of
298-419: A centre and two wingers : a left wing and a right wing . Forwards often play together as units or lines , with the same three forwards always playing together. The defencemen usually stay together as a pair generally divided between left and right. Left and right side wingers or defencemen are generally positioned on the side on which they carry their stick. A substitution of an entire unit at once
447-401: A penalty shootout . If the score remains tied after an extra overtime period, the subsequent shootout consists of three players from each team taking penalty shots. After these six total shots, the team with the most goals is awarded the victory. If the score is still tied, the shootout then proceeds to sudden death . Regardless of the number of goals scored by either team during the shootout,
596-723: A 3–1 victory over the Calgary Flames on April 3, 2008. They again faced the Colorado Avalanche in the conference quarterfinals, and the Wild held home-ice advantage. However, Minnesota came up short, being eliminated in six games by the Avalanche. During the 2008 off-season, the Wild re-acquired Andrew Brunette from Colorado and traded for defenseman Marek Zidlicky . The Wild also signed free agents Antti Miettinen and Owen Nolan to multi-year deals. There seemed to be
745-405: A chest protector, a goalie mask, and a large jersey. Goaltenders' equipment has continually become larger and larger, leading to fewer goals in each game and many official rule changes. Ice hockey skates are optimized for physical acceleration, speed and manoeuvrability. This includes rapid starts, stops, turns, and changes in skating direction. In addition, they must be rigid and tough to protect
894-537: A forward. The seventh defenceman may play as a substitute defenceman, spend the game on the bench, or if a team chooses to play four lines then this seventh defenceman may see ice-time on the fourth line as a forward. A professional ice hockey game consists of three periods of twenty minutes, the clock running only when the puck is in play. The teams change ends after each period of play, including overtime. Recreational leagues and children's leagues often play shorter games, generally with three shorter periods of play. If
1043-549: A game is tied after regulation, then a 20-minute period of 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime will be added. If the game is still tied after the overtime, another period is added until a team scores, which wins the match. Since 2019, the IIHF World Championships and the gold medal game in the Olympics use the same format, but in a 3-on-3 format. In ice hockey, infractions of the rules lead to a play stoppage whereby
1192-412: A goal scored by the other team. Major penalties assessed for fighting are typically offsetting, meaning neither team is short-handed and the players exit the penalty box upon a stoppage of play following the expiration of their respective penalties. The foul of boarding (defined as "check[ing] an opponent in such a manner that causes the opponent to be thrown violently in the boards") is penalized either by
1341-476: A hot start to the season that saw them sitting atop the NHL standings in early December, multiple injuries to key players for extended periods effectively eliminated the team from playoff contention for the fourth consecutive year. During the 2012 off-season, the team was able to sign top prospect Mikael Granlund to a three-year, entry-level contract. During the 2012 NHL entry draft , the team selected Matt Dumba with
1490-528: A larger blade and a wide, flat shaft. This stick is primarily intended to block shots, but the goaltender may use it to play the puck as well. Ice hockey is a full-contact sport and carries a high risk of injury. Players are moving at speeds around approximately 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h) and much of the game revolves around the physical contact between the players. Skate blades, hockey sticks, shoulder contact, hip contact, and hockey pucks can all potentially cause injuries. Lace bite , an irritation felt on
1639-458: A minor or major penalty at the discretion of the referee, based on the violent state of the hit. A minor or major penalty for boarding is often assessed when a player checks an opponent from behind and into the boards. Some varieties of penalty do not require the offending team to play a man short. Concurrent five-minute major penalties in the NHL usually result from fighting. In the case of two players being assessed five-minute fighting majors, both
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#17327725245021788-436: A neck protector. Goaltenders use different equipment. With hockey pucks approaching them at speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h) they must wear equipment with more protection. Goaltenders wear specialized goalie skates (these skates are built more for movement side to side rather than forwards and backwards), a jock or jill, large leg pads (there are size restrictions in certain leagues), blocking glove, catching glove,
1937-498: A new franchise record for goals in a season at 38, and Brian Rolston set a new highest point total by a Wild player in a season at 79. The goaltender controversy between Manny Fernandez and Dwayne Roloson ended when Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick in the 2006 NHL entry draft . The Wild signed veteran free agents Kim Johnsson , Mark Parrish , Branko Radivojevic and Keith Carney . On
2086-539: A penalty, but was an infraction in the NHL before recent rules changes, is the two-line offside pass . Prior to the 2005–06 NHL season, play was stopped when a pass from inside a team's defending zone crossed the centre line, with a face-off held in the defending zone of the offending team. Now, the centre line is no longer used in the NHL to determine a two-line pass infraction, a change that the IIHF had adopted in 1998. Players are now able to pass to teammates who are more than
2235-409: A player may receive up to nineteen minutes in penalties for one string of plays. This could involve receiving a four-minute double-minor penalty, getting in a fight with an opposing player who retaliates, and then receiving a game misconduct after the fight. In this case, the player is ejected and two teammates must serve the double-minor and major penalties. A penalty shot is awarded to a player when
2384-441: A red Minnesota state silhouette with "MN" inside, and two wheat stars referencing Gemini , the twin constellation. Brown gloves and pants were used to reflect early 20th century hockey gear. The team has had a goal horn each season since its inception. The Wild are one of the few teams to not blast their goal horn whenever they score in a shootout. The team's first goal songs were " Born to Be Wild " and " Rock and Roll Part 2 " that
2533-709: A resident of Racine, Wisconsin , completed the sale of the Nashville Predators to a local ownership group on December 7, 2007, a team he owned since the expansion franchise was awarded to Nashville in 1997. Leipold is the majority owner and principal investor in MSE, a regional sports and entertainment leader that includes the NHL's Minnesota Wild, its AHL affiliate the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League, Wildside Caterers, 317 on Rice Park and
2682-629: A second-round pick in 2012 to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Devin Setoguchi , Charlie Coyle and the 28th overall pick in the 2011 draft, which they used to select Zack Phillips . Later in the off-season, the Wild traded Martin Havlat for Dany Heatley in another blockbuster trade with the Sharks. In November, the team set a franchise record for most wins in one month with 11. Despite
2831-417: A seven-game series twice after facing elimination during game 5. When the 2003–04 season started, the Wild were short-handed with both Pascal Dupuis and Gaborik holding out. After struggling in the first month, the Wild finally got their two young star left-wingers signed, but both struggled to get back into game shape as the Wild struggled through much of November. In a deep hole, the Wild did not make it to
2980-415: A shot or pass play. Officials also stop play for puck movement violations, such as using one's hands to pass the puck in the offensive end, but no players are penalized for these offences. The sole exceptions are deliberately falling on or gathering the puck to the body, carrying the puck in the hand, and shooting the puck out of play in one's defensive zone (all penalized two minutes for delay of game). In
3129-579: A stigma about Jacques Lemaire's defensive system that caused a number of top free agents to avoid the Wild. Despite winning the Northwest Division the previous season, the Wild fell to ninth place in the Western Conference in 2008–09, missing the playoffs. Much of this was in part due to a lack of scoring and overall team offense, and the injuries to star forward Marian Gaborik, who only played 17 games. Jacques Lemaire, head coach of
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#17327725245023278-540: A team also on a franchise-record win streak at the time. Nevertheless, Minnesota failed to win more than a game in the playoffs, losing in five games to St. Louis. Mikael Granlund led the team in points with 69, while new addition Eric Staal led the team in goals with 28. Mikko Koivu was a finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy for best defensive forward, while Granlund was a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy . In
3427-492: A team losing a skater during regulation instead causes the other side to add a skater. Once the penalized team's penalty ends, the penalized skater exits the penalty box and the teams continue at 4-on-4 until the next stoppage of play, at which point the teams return to three skaters per side. International play and several North American professional leagues, including the NHL (in the regular season), now use an overtime period identical to that from 1999–2000 to 2003–04 followed by
3576-409: A tie occurs in tournament play, as well as in the NHL playoffs, North Americans favour sudden death overtime , in which the teams continue to play twenty-minute periods until a goal is scored. Up until the 1999–2000 season, regular-season NHL games were settled with a single five-minute sudden death period with five players (plus a goalie) per side, with both teams awarded one point in the standings in
3725-399: A wheat-colored stripe through the center of the jersey. On the arms is a wheat-colored stripe with a smaller red stripe near the top of it. The Wild kept its away jersey design the same. The Wild, along with the rest of the NHL, did not have an alternate jersey for the 2017–18 season. On September 23, 2023, the Wild unveiled an alternate green jersey based on the "Reverse Retro" look they wore
3874-462: Is a full-contact sport, body checks are allowed so injuries are a common occurrence. Protective equipment is mandatory and is enforced in all competitive situations. This includes a helmet with either a visor or a full face mask, shoulder pads, elbow pads, mouth guard, protective gloves, heavily padded shorts (also known as hockey pants) or a girdle, athletic cup (also known as a jock, for males; and jill, for females), shin pads, skates, and (optionally)
4023-410: Is also a penalty in certain leagues in order to reduce the chance of injury to players. Often the term checking is used to refer to body checking, with its true definition generally only propagated among fans of the game. One of the most important strategies for a team is their forecheck . Forechecking is the act of attacking the opposition in their defensive zone. Forechecking is an important part of
4172-459: Is called a line change . Teams typically employ alternate sets of forward lines and defensive pairings when short-handed or on a power play . The goaltender stands in a, usually blue, semi-circle called the crease in the defensive zone keeping pucks out of the goal. Substitutions are permitted at any time during the game, although during a stoppage of play the home team is permitted the final change. When players are substituted during play, it
4321-418: Is called changing on the fly . An NHL rule added in the 2005–06 season prevents a team from changing their line after they ice the puck. The boards surrounding the ice help keep the puck in play and they can also be used as tools to play the puck. Players are permitted to bodycheck opponents into the boards to stop progress. The referees, linesmen and the outsides of the goal are "in play" and do not stop
4470-422: Is ice hockey. While the general characteristics of the game remain constant, the exact rules depend on the particular code of play being used. The two most important codes are those of the IIHF and the NHL. Both of these codes, and others, originated from Canadian rules of ice hockey of the early 20th century. Ice hockey is played on a hockey rink . During normal play, there are six players on ice skates on
4619-528: Is if a team opts to pull their goalie in exchange for an extra skater during overtime and is subsequently scored upon (an empty net goal), in which case the losing team receives no points for the overtime loss. Since the 2015–16 season, the single five-minute sudden-death overtime session involves three skaters on each side. Since three skaters must always be on the ice in an NHL game, the consequences of penalties are slightly different from those during regulation play; any penalty during overtime that would result in
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4768-403: Is the left wing lock , which has two forwards pressure the puck and the left wing and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. Offensive tactics include improving a team's position on the ice by advancing the puck out of one's zone towards the opponent's zone, progressively by gaining lines, first your own blue line, then the red line and finally the opponent's blue line. NHL rules instated for
4917-399: Is the first partnership of its kind between a private professional sports team and a public amateur sports organization. Doug Risebrough was named executive vice president/general manager of Minnesota Wild and the Xcel Energy Center was completed and ready for use. The Wild named Jacques Lemaire their first head coach and the team picked Marian Gaborik third overall in the first round of
5066-457: The dump and chase strategy (i.e. shooting the puck into the offensive zone and then chasing after it). Each team uses their own unique system but the main ones are: 2–1–2 , 1–2–2, and 1–4. The 2–1–2 is the most basic forecheck system where two forwards go in deep and pressure the opposition's defencemen, the third forward stays high and the two defencemen stay at the blueline. The 1–2–2 is a bit more conservative system where one forward pressures
5215-572: The 2000 NHL entry draft . Gaborik scored the first-ever goal for the Wild in their franchise debut on October 6 at Anaheim. The Wild played their first-ever home game on October 11 against the Philadelphia Flyers and skated to a 3–3 tie. Minnesota native Darby Hendrickson scored the first-ever home goal for the Wild. Before the game, it was announced the team would retire the number 1 jersey, their first number retirement, with no Wild player ever wearing it, to honor all Minnesota fans, who
5364-526: The 2013 playoffs . The relocation and rebranding of the Atlanta Thrashers as the "new" Winnipeg Jets in 2011 meant Winnipeg was once again Minnesota's second-closest geographical rival after Chicago, and led the NHL to reconsider its divisional alignment. Even before the NHL's return to Winnipeg, Wild management had lobbied repeatedly for a move out of the Northwest Division, where they were
5513-411: The 2018–19 season , the Wild struggled to keep up in the ultra-competitive Central Division as they had in previous seasons. Despite a renaissance year from Parise, many key players like Eric Staal and Jason Zucker regressed offensively from the season prior. Many reported that there was dysfunction in the organization, caused by a rift between Fenton, Boudreau and various players, ultimately leading
5662-588: The Brian De Palma -directed music video for " Dancing in the Dark " at the arena, one day before Springsteen's 1984 Born in the U.S.A. Tour formally opened at the arena. The song "I Bought a Headache" from The Replacements ' album Sorry Ma, Forgot to Take Out the Trash is about regretting purchasing an $ 8.50 ticket to a rock concert that is so loud it makes his head hurt. Billy Joel recorded and released
5811-470: The Buffalo Sabres in exchange for prospects Johan Larsson and Matt Hackett , as well as draft picks. The team reached the postseason for the fourth time in franchise history after a 3–1 win over the Colorado Avalanche on April 27, 2013. After finishing in eighth place in the Western Conference, the Wild lost in five games to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks in the first round of
5960-707: The ECHL . The Wild were founded on June 25, 1997, and began play in the 2000–01 season . The team was founded following the departure of the Minnesota North Stars , who were based in Minnesota from 1967 to 1993 , when they relocated to Dallas , Texas , and became the Dallas Stars . The Wild made their first Stanley Cup playoffs appearance in 2003 , making a surprise run to the Western Conference Finals, but ultimately losing to
6109-541: The Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL . The Iowa Wild is owned by the parent club, who relocated the franchise from Houston in 2013. This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Wild. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Minnesota Wild seasons Ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates , usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to
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6258-758: The Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace , in Paris , France, the precursor to the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The sport was played for the first time at the Olympics during the 1920 Summer Games —today it is a mainstay at the Winter Olympics . In 1994, ice hockey was officially recognized as Canada's national winter sport. While women also played during the game's early formative years, it
6407-492: The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim . The team have appeared in the playoffs a total of 13 times, and have won one division championship, in 2008 . Following the departure of the Minnesota North Stars after the 1992–93 season , the state of Minnesota was without an NHL team for seven seasons. Saint Paul mayor (and future U.S. Senator) Norm Coleman began a campaign to either recruit the relocation of an existing franchise to
6556-733: The Minnesota Moose of the International Hockey League played their two seasons, they were replaced with standard white opaque boards to allow advertising. The new boards were disadvantageous to the previous seating arrangements, and with the Moose's quick departure to Winnipeg , showed the arena was outdated for the state's most popular sport only 21 years after opening, much less National Hockey League standards. On June 28, 1984, Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band , actress Courteney Cox and 200 extras filmed
6705-503: The NHL YoungStars Game , and Andrew Brunette led the team in scoring with 69 points. Gaborik spent much of the 2002–03 season vying for the league scoring crown before slumping in the second half, and the Wild, in their first-ever playoff appearance, made it to the conference finals before being swept 4–0 by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim . Previously, the Wild had beaten the favored and third-seeded Colorado Avalanche in
6854-627: The Ordway Music Theater and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium . The Xcel Energy Center was built on the former site of the arena. The arena opened on January 1, 1973, and had seating capacity of approximately 16,000 for hockey. The arena could be expanded up to 17,800 for concerts and other non-sporting events. The Civic Center was the home of both iterations of the Minnesota Fighting Saints of
7003-620: The WHA —the first from 1973 to 1976 and the second from 1976 to 1977. The boys' state high school hockey and basketball tournaments were also held at the Civic Center as well as three NCAA Frozen Four national ice hockey championships. The arena was also the home of Verne Gagne 's American Wrestling Association (AWA). The arena was unique in North America in that the hockey dasher boards were made of clear acrylic glass from
7152-524: The "wild animal" is the north star , in tribute to the departed Minnesota North Stars as well as the state's motto L'Étoile du Nord , meaning "The Star of the North". According to The Good Point , questions surrounding the identity of the animal depicted have sparked debate amongst logo enthusiasts, earning accolades for its unique complexity in North American professional sports. In 2008, "Nordy"
7301-462: The 1880s, and professional ice hockey originated around 1900. The Stanley Cup , emblematic of ice hockey club supremacy, was initially commissioned in 1892 as the "Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup" and was first awarded in 1893 to recognise the Canadian amateur champion and later became the championship trophy of the National Hockey League (NHL). In the early 1900s, the Canadian rules were adopted by
7450-490: The 18th and 19th centuries in Britain, Ireland, and elsewhere, primarily bandy , hurling , and shinty . The North American sport of lacrosse , derived from tribal Native American games, was also influential. The former games were brought to North America and several similar winter games using informal rules developed, such as shinny and ice polo, but later were absorbed into a new organized game with codified rules which today
7599-659: The 1930s, hockey was an on-side game, meaning that only backward passes were allowed. Those rules emphasized individual stick-handling to drive the puck forward. With the arrival of offside rules, the forward pass transformed hockey into a true team sport, where individual performance diminished in importance relative to team play, which could now be coordinated over the entire surface of the ice as opposed to merely rearward players. The six players on each team are typically divided into three forwards, two defencemen, and one goaltender. The term skaters typically applies to all players except goaltenders. The forward positions consist of
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#17327725245027748-416: The 2006 season redefined the offside rule to make the two-line pass legal; a player may pass the puck from behind his own blue line, past both that blue line and the centre red line, to a player on the near side of the opponents' blue line. Offensive tactics are designed ultimately to score a goal by taking a shot. When a player purposely directs the puck towards the opponent's goal, he or she is said to "shoot"
7897-421: The 2013 Blackhawks–Wild playoff series was seen as the rebirth of the old Chicago–Minnesota rivalry in the NHL. The 2013–14 regular season for the Wild was the best the team had since the 2007–08 season, good enough to claim the first Wild Card position. Jason Pominville became the Wild's third player in franchise history to reach the 30-goal mark, with Mikko Koivu surpassing Marian Gaborik in all-time points for
8046-488: The 2016 off-season, the Wild signed free agent Eric Staal to a three-year contract. The Wild also hired Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach, replacing interim head coach John Torchetti. In 2017, the Wild set their new franchise record for points (106), wins (49) and goals for (266). The Wild set a franchise-record 12-game win streak that was snapped on New Year's Eve 2016 by the Columbus Blue Jackets ,
8195-541: The 2017 off-season, the Wild experienced significant roster turnover. Erik Haula was lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft (along with prospect Alex Tuch ). Winger Jason Pominville and defenseman Marco Scandella were traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for forwards Tyler Ennis and Marcus Foligno . Minnesota native Matt Cullen was signed as a free agent and returned to
8344-613: The 2023 off-season but did not make any notable trades or acquisitions, opting instead to "run it back" with the previous year's squad. However, despite breakout performances from Faber and the 2020 ninth overall pick Marco Rossi , as well as Kaprizov's third consecutive 40-goal season, injuries to nearly every player in the starting lineup hindered the team, with key players such as Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek , captain Jared Spurgeon , Marcus Foligno , Mats Zuccarello , and Jonas Brodin all missing substantial time. The Wild finished
8493-495: The Jets, the NHL announced its intention to expand from 26 to 30 teams. Businessman and Minnetonka native Bob Naegele, Jr. became the lead investor for an application to the NHL for an expansion franchise and, ultimately, the first majority owner. On June 25, 1997, the National Hockey League (NHL) announced that Minnesota had been awarded an expansion franchise, to begin play in the 2000–01 season . The six finalist team names for
8642-410: The NHL, a unique penalty applies to the goalies. The goalies now are forbidden to play the puck in the "corners" of the rink near their own net. This will result in a two-minute penalty against the goalie's team. Only in the area in front of the goal line and immediately behind the net (marked by two red lines on either side of the net) can the goalie play the puck. An additional rule that has never been
8791-492: The National Hockey League, a number of leagues have implemented the "four-official system", where an additional referee is added to aid in the calling of penalties normally difficult to assess by one referee. The system is used in every NHL game since 2001, at IIHF World Championships , the Olympics and in many professional and high-level amateur leagues in North America and Europe. Officials are selected by
8940-845: The Northwest Division. Consequently, the Wild moved into the Central Division along with the Jets and Avalanche; the Canadian teams from the Northwest moved back to the Pacific Division . The Wild now share their division with not only the Blackhawks but also the Dallas Stars , the Wild's predecessors in Minnesota, and the St. Louis Blues , another major rival of the North Stars during the Norris Division era. Thus,
9089-594: The Wild as they missed the playoffs in both seasons. In the 2010 NHL entry draft , the Wild held the ninth overall pick and used it to select Finnish forward Mikael Granlund . The Wild opened the 2010–11 season with two games at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki against the Carolina Hurricanes . Following the 2010–11 season, the team fired head coach Todd Richards due to the team failing to reach
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#17327725245029238-452: The Wild failed to advance past the first round. On April 23, 2018, shortly following the Wild's exit from the playoffs, owner Leipold announced he had fired general manager Fletcher after nine seasons with the team. Under Fletcher's leadership, the Wild qualified for the playoffs six consecutive years, but failed to advance beyond the second round. On May 21, 2018, Paul Fenton was hired as the third general manager in franchise history. During
9387-565: The Wild hired Bill Guerin as the fourth general manager in franchise history. On February 14, 2020, the Wild fired head coach Bruce Boudreau and named Dean Evason as interim head coach. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic , the Wild participated in the best-of-five qualifying round of the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs , but were eliminated in four games at the hands of the Vancouver Canucks . Kirill Kaprizov played his first NHL game with
9536-465: The Wild honored the Minnesota North Stars by wearing North Stars jerseys for warm-ups, despite the North Stars history belonging to the Dallas Stars . Martin Hanzal warmed up with number 91, as the North Stars retired number 19 in honor of Bill Masterton . On June 20, 2017, the Wild introduced a new home uniform, as the NHL switched from Reebok to Adidas – a green jersey with their main logo, and
9685-591: The Wild in January 2021, scoring the overtime winner against the Los Angeles Kings during his debut. On September 21, 2021, Kirill Kaprizov signed a five-year, $ 45 million contract with the Wild. As a result of the contract, Kaprizov became the highest-paid sophomore player in NHL history. In 2022 , the team set franchise season highs in points (113) and wins (53). Kirill Kaprizov set franchise records in points (108), goals (47), and assists (61). They faced
9834-539: The Wild logo recolored to match the team's green and gold scheme. This design was reused again in the 2022–23 season , but with green now the base color. For the 2022 Winter Classic , the Wild unveiled a special edition jersey inspired by various early Minnesota hockey teams. The jersey is primarily green with red shoulder yoke and red and wheat stripes. The front of the uniforms featured the Minneapolis–Saint Paul (MPLS.–ST. PAUL) identifier around three symbols:
9983-610: The Wild since the team's inception in the 2000–01 season, resigned at season's end. General manager Doug Risebrough was later fired, leading to a nearly complete turnover in the Wild's coaching and hockey management staff. In the 2009 off-season, Marian Gaborik signed with the New York Rangers during the summer as a free agent. Team owner Craig Leipold hired former Pittsburgh Penguins assistant general manager Chuck Fletcher as general manager. Later that summer, Fletcher selected Todd Richards as head coach. Martin Havlat
10132-583: The Wild to shore up the fourth line (Cullen had previously played in Minnesota from 2010 to 2013). Captain Mikko Koivu signed a two-year extension, ensuring he would remain with the Wild through the 2019–20 season . Following another 100-point regular season , the Wild matched up with Central Division rival, the Winnipeg Jets, in the first round of the 2018 playoffs . The Jets defeated the Wild in five games, making it three straight seasons in which
10281-480: The Wild traded goaltender Cam Talbot to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Filip Gustavsson , five days after signing Fleury to a new two-year contract. Despite a second consecutive 40-goal season from Kaprizov, the Wild struggled defensively in the early parts of the season before shifting entirely to lackluster offense and low-scoring games at the end. However, thanks to a stellar season from Gustavsson,
10430-498: The Wild unveiled a new tradition called This Is Our Ice which encourages Wild fans to bring water from local ponds, lakes and rinks and add it to the Xcel Energy Center ice. Fans can bring water to any regular season home game and add it to the collection station which will then be added to the ice for the season. Minnesota currently has two minor league affiliates: the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) and
10579-462: The Wild's 3–0 loss to the San Jose Sharks . Josh Harding was brought up from the Wild's AHL affiliate, the Houston Aeros , when Fernandez was hurt and remained on Minnesota's roster for the rest of the season as the backup goalie. All-Star winger Marian Gaborik returned from a groin injury in January 2007 and made an immediate impact, bringing a new spark to a lacking offense. The Wild made
10728-415: The app determines that a particular impact has the potential to cause brain injury, it will alert the coach who can in turn seek medical attention for the individual. Defensive ice hockey tactics vary from more active to more conservative styles of play. One distinction is between man-to-man oriented defensive systems, and zonal oriented defensive systems, though a lot of teams use a combination between
10877-477: The blue and centre ice red line away. The NHL has taken steps to speed up the game of hockey and create a game of finesse, by reducing the number of illegal hits, fights, and "clutching and grabbing" that occurred in the past. Rules are now more strictly enforced, resulting in more penalties, which provides more protection to the players and facilitates more goals being scored. The governing body for United States' amateur hockey has implemented many new rules to reduce
11026-769: The bonds and the repayment of the state loan coming from scheduled rent and payment instead of taxes from the Minnesota Wild. Deconstruction of the Saint Paul Civic Center began soon after. Designs were announced for the Xcel Energy Center and a groundbreaking ceremony for the Xcel Energy Center was hosted in Saint Paul. The Minnesota Wild announced a 26-year partnership agreement with the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission (MASC). The Minnesota Wild-MASC partnership
11175-476: The city or the award of an expansion franchise to a Minnesota-based ownership group. These efforts came close to success in the mid-1990s when Minnesota interests purchased the original Winnipeg Jets intending to relocate the franchise to Minnesota; however, arena negotiations at the Target Center fell through, and the Jets instead relocated to Phoenix, Arizona . Following the failed attempt to relocate
11324-409: The club. The Wild battled goaltender problems throughout the entire season. It began with Josh Harding leading the NHL in save percentage, and goals-against average, before being placed on injured reserve for complications with his multiple sclerosis (MS). Backstrom also suffered a season-ending injury with abdominal issues. The Wild started five different goalies during the year and dressed seven. At
11473-407: The concentric circles on a predominantly white jersey; in 2013, the lettering was updated to match the home and alternate sweaters, at the same time updating the sweater's look to a more traditional design. On August 30, 2009, the team unveiled another third/alternate jersey, which is predominantly green with wheat accents. It says "Minnesota Wild" in script writing across the chest. On April 4, 2017,
11622-463: The day of the NHL entry draft , it traded the 17th overall pick and prospect Patrick O'Sullivan to the Los Angeles Kings for veteran Slovak Pavol Demitra . Niklas Backstrom was the starting goalie for the Wild after previous starter Manny Fernandez sprained his knee on January 20. Fernandez played for the first time since the sprain on March 6 and was removed after allowing three goals in two periods in
11771-569: The defending Stanley Cup champions Chicago, where they were eliminated in six games. During the 2014 off-season, the Wild signed forward Thomas Vanek as a free agent. In 2014–15 , the Wild clinched the first wild card spot in the West by defeating the Chicago Blackhawks. It then defeated the Central Division champions, the St. Louis Blues, in the first round of the playoffs in six games. In
11920-520: The division rival St. Louis Blues in the first round, but despite having home ice advantage and the services of recently acquired goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury , were eliminated in six games. In the following off-season, forward Kevin Fiala was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for the draft rights to defenseman Brock Faber , while other notable players such as Nick Bjugstad and Nicolas Deslauriers were lost in free agency. On July 7, 2022,
12069-418: The estimated $ 130 million project costs for the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul. The legislation also provided that only $ 48 million of the loan needed to be repaid if the team met the requirements to have an agreement in place during the lease term with the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. The City of Saint Paul issued an additional $ 65 million in bonds, with roughly 90% of the debt service on
12218-452: The event of a tie. With a goal, the winning team would be awarded two points and the losing team none (just as if they had lost in regulation). The total elapsed time from when the puck first drops, is about 2 hours and 20 minutes for a 60-minute game. From the 1999–2000 until the 2003–04 seasons, the National Hockey League decided ties by playing a single five-minute sudden-death overtime period with each team having four skaters per side (plus
12367-567: The facility management of Xcel Energy Center and the Saint Paul RiverCentre. He also serves as the team's Governor at NHL Board of Governors' meetings. After purchase of MSE, Mr. Leipold sold the Swarm to John Arlotta. Along with the Wild, the group has year-round management rights of the Xcel Energy Center, and currently has a management contract to manage the adjoining Saint Paul RiverCentre and Roy Wilkins Auditorium ; in addition
12516-411: The final score recorded will award the winning team one more goal than the score at the end of regulation time. In the NHL if a game is decided in overtime or by a shootout the winning team is awarded two points in the standings and the losing team is awarded one point. Ties no longer occur in the NHL. Overtime in the NHL playoffs differs from the regular season. In the playoffs there are no shootouts. If
12665-411: The firing of head coach Mike Yeo. Under new interim head coach John Torchetti , the team snapped the losing streak but remained streaky throughout the rest of the season, managing to barely make the playoffs with a total of 87 points, the worst record of any playoff team in the shootout era (since 2005–06). In the first round, the Wild fell to the Central Division champion Dallas Stars in six games. During
12814-408: The first round in seven games, coming back from a 3–1 series deficit and winning both game 6 and 7 in overtime. Brunette scored the series-clinching goal, the last on Patrick Roy . In the conference semifinals, the Wild beat the fourth-seeded Vancouver Canucks , again in seven games, and again after being down 3–1 in a series. In the process, the Wild became the first team in playoff history to capture
12963-511: The front of the foot or ankle, is a common ice hockey injury. Compared to athletes who play other sports, ice hockey players are at higher risk of overuse injuries and injuries caused by early sports specialization by teenagers. According to the Hughston Health Alert, prior to the widespread use of helmets and face cages, "Lacerations to the head, scalp, and face are the most frequent types of injury [in hockey]." One of
13112-427: The game , too many players on the ice , boarding , illegal equipment, charging (leaping into an opponent or body-checking him after taking more than two strides), holding, holding the stick (grabbing an opponent's stick), interference, hooking , slashing , kneeing, unsportsmanlike conduct (arguing a penalty call with referee, extremely vulgar or inappropriate verbal comments), "butt-ending" (striking an opponent with
13261-411: The game when the puck or players either bounce into or collide with them. Play can be stopped if the goal is knocked out of position. Play often proceeds for minutes without interruption. After a stoppage, play is restarted with a faceoff . Two players face each other and an official drops the puck to the ice, where the two players attempt to gain control of the puck. Markings (circles) on the ice indicate
13410-406: The game. There are typically two linesmen who are mainly responsible for calling "offside" and " icing " violations, breaking up fights, and conducting faceoffs, and one or two referees , who call goals and all other penalties. Linesmen can report to the referee(s) that a penalty should be assessed against an offending player in some situations. The restrictions on this practice vary depending on
13559-401: The goalie). In the event of a tie, each team would still receive one point in the standings but in the event of a victory the winning team would be awarded two points in the standings and the losing team one point. The idea was to discourage teams from playing for a tie, since previously some teams might have preferred a tie and 1 point to risking a loss and zero points. The exception to this rule
13708-402: The goaltender carries a stick consisting of a long, relatively wide, and slightly curved flat blade, attached to a shaft. The curve itself has a big impact on its performance. A deep curve allows for lifting the puck easier while a shallow curve allows for easier backhand shots. The flex of the stick also impacts the performance. Typically, a less flexible stick is meant for a stronger player since
13857-404: The governing rules. On-ice officials are assisted by off-ice officials who act as goal judges, time keepers, and official scorers. The most widespread system is the "three-man system", which uses one referee and two linesmen. A less commonly used system is the two referee and one linesman system. This system is close to the regular three-man system except for a few procedure changes. Beginning with
14006-399: The green jersey would be gold with red outlining while on the white jersey it was red with gold outlining. In 2003–04, with the NHL reversing the convention regarding the home and road jersey colors, the green jersey became the home jersey while the white one became the road jersey. In the 2007–08 season , when all jerseys were converted to the new Reebok Edge uniform system, the white jersey
14155-465: The head and most types of forceful stick-on-body contact are illegal. A delayed penalty call occurs when an offence is committed by the team that does not have possession of the puck. In this circumstance the team with possession of the puck is allowed to complete the play; that is, play continues until a goal is scored, a player on the opposing team gains control of the puck, or the team in possession commits an infraction or penalty of their own. Because
14304-568: The heads, as well as checks to unsuspecting players. Studies show that ice hockey causes 44.3% of all sports-related traumatic brain injuries among Canadian children. Some teams in the Swiss National League are testing out systems that combine helmet-integrated sensors and analysis software to reveal a player's ongoing brain injury risk during a game. These sensors provide players and coaches with real-time data on head impact strength, frequency, and severity. Furthermore, if
14453-566: The ice at a time, barring any penalties, including a goaltender . It is a full contact game and one of the more physically demanding team sports. The modern sport of ice hockey was developed in Canada, most notably in Montreal , where the first indoor game was played on March 3, 1875. Some characteristics of that game, such as the length of the ice rink and the use of a puck, have been retained to this day. Amateur ice hockey leagues began in
14602-458: The ice per side, one of them being the goaltender. The objective of the game is to score goals by shooting a hard vulcanized rubber disc, the puck , into the opponent's goal net at the opposite end of the rink. The players use their sticks to pass or shoot the puck. With certain restrictions, players may redirect the puck with any part of their body. Players may not hold the puck in their hand and are prohibited from using their hands to pass
14751-404: The ice. Loafing , also known as cherry-picking , is when a player, usually a forward, skates behind an attacking team, instead of playing defence, in an attempt to create an easy scoring chance. Saint Paul Civic Center The St. Paul Civic Center was an indoor arena located in Saint Paul, Minnesota . The arena opened in 1973 and was closed and demolished in 1998. It once sat near
14900-417: The illegal actions of another player stop a clear scoring opportunity, most commonly when the player is on a breakaway . A penalty shot allows the obstructed player to pick up the puck on the centre red-line and attempt to score on the goalie with no other players on the ice, to compensate for the earlier missed scoring opportunity. A penalty shot is also awarded for a defender other than the goaltender covering
15049-422: The knob of the stick), "spearing" (jabbing an opponent with the blade of the stick), or cross-checking . As of the 2005–2006 season, a minor penalty is also assessed for diving , where a player embellishes or simulates an offence. More egregious fouls may be penalized by a four-minute double-minor penalty, particularly those that injure the victimized player. These penalties end either when the time runs out or when
15198-482: The leading causes of head injury is body checking from behind. Due to the danger of delivering a check from behind, many leagues – including the NHL – have made this a major and game misconduct penalty. Another type of check that accounts for many of the player-to-player contact concussions is a check to the head resulting in a misconduct penalty (called "head contact"). In recent years, the NHL has implemented new rules which penalize and suspend players for illegal checks to
15347-461: The leading scorer with 39 points while Wes Walz , Darby Hendrickson and Gaborik paced the team with 18 goals each. The Wild got off to a strong start in the 2001–02 season by earning at least one point in its first seven games. However, the Wild finished in last place again with a record of 26–35–12–6. En route, there were signs the Wild were improving, as second-year speedster Gaborik had a solid sophomore season with 30 goals, including an invite to
15496-492: The league they work for. Amateur hockey leagues use guidelines established by national organizing bodies as a basis for choosing their officiating staffs. In North America, the national organizing bodies Hockey Canada and USA Hockey approve officials according to their experience level as well as their ability to pass rules knowledge and skating ability tests. Hockey Canada has officiating levels I through VI. USA Hockey has officiating levels 1 through 4. Since men's ice hockey
15645-562: The locations for the faceoff and guide the positioning of players. Three major rules of play in ice hockey limit the movement of the puck: offside , icing , and the puck going out of play. Under IIHF rules, each team may carry a maximum of 20 players and two goaltenders on their roster. NHL rules restrict the total number of players per game to 18, plus two goaltenders. In the NHL, the players are usually divided into four lines of three forwards, and into three pairs of defencemen. On occasion, teams may elect to substitute an extra defenceman for
15794-435: The misconduct (a two-and-ten or five-and-ten ). In this case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes, at which point the ten-minute misconduct begins. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent (at
15943-502: The new NHL franchise (Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild), were announced on November 20, 1997. Jac Sperling was named chief executive officer of the Minnesota team, Doug Risebrough was named general manager, Tod Leiweke was named president, and Martha Fuller was named chief financial officer . The team was officially named the Wild at an unveiling at the Aldrich Arena on January 22, 1998, with
16092-417: The number of stick-on-body occurrences, as well as other detrimental and illegal facets of the game ("zero tolerance"). In men's hockey, but not in women's, a player may use his hip or shoulder to hit another player if the player has the puck or is the last to have touched it. This use of the hip and shoulder is called body checking . Not all physical contact is legal—in particular, hits from behind, hits to
16241-442: The officials' discretion), or for a major penalty for a stick infraction or repeated major penalties. The offending player is ejected from the game and must immediately leave the playing surface (he does not sit in the penalty box); meanwhile, if an additional minor or major penalty is assessed, a designated player must serve out of that segment of the penalty in the box (similar to the above-mentioned "two-and-ten"). In some rare cases,
16390-523: The only Central Time Zone team. Among the alignments considered was having the Jets replace the Avalanche in the Northwest, but Wild management strongly objected to this alignment as it would have left them as the only American team in their division. Following protracted negotiations both amongst the owners and with the National Hockey League Players' Association , in 2013, the NHL collapsed its six divisions into four and dissolved
16539-540: The other team scores during the power play. In the case of a goal scored during the first two minutes of a double-minor, the penalty clock is set down to two minutes upon a score, effectively expiring the first minor penalty. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, or when a minor penalty results in visible injury (such as bleeding), as well as for fighting. Major penalties are always served in full; they do not terminate on
16688-413: The other, the opposing team gets a power play for the remainder of the time); this applies regardless of current pending penalties. In the NHL, a team always has at least three skaters on the ice. Thus, ten-minute misconduct penalties are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the ice unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with
16837-503: The partnership also owns and operates 317 on Rice Park, which is the former historic Minnesota club. The Minnesota Wild stay involved in the community through the philanthropic activities of the Minnesota Wild Foundation and its operations to support the game of hockey with events such as Hockey Day Minnesota . It has been celebrated every year since 2007. The Wild are 13-2-1 on Hockey Day Minnesota. Started in 2017,
16986-468: The penalty is still assessed to the offending player, but not served. In 2012, this rule was changed by the United States' National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for college level hockey . In college games, the penalty is still enforced even if the team in possession scores. A typical game of hockey is governed by two to four officials on the ice, charged with enforcing the rules of
17135-499: The play is restarted at a faceoff. Some infractions result in a penalty on a player or team. In the simplest case, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and their team must play with one less player on the ice for a designated time. Minor penalties last for two minutes, major penalties last for five minutes, and a double minor penalty is two consecutive penalties of two minutes duration. A single minor penalty may be extended by two minutes for causing visible injury to
17284-411: The player is looking for the right balanced flex that allows the stick to flex easily while still having a strong "whip-back" which sends the puck flying at high speeds. It is quite distinct from sticks in other sports games and most suited to hitting and controlling the flat puck. Its unique shape contributed to the early development of the game. The goaltender carries a stick of a different design, with
17433-461: The players serve five minutes without their team incurring a loss of player (both teams still have a full complement of players on the ice). This differs with two players from opposing sides getting minor penalties, at the same time or at any intersecting moment, resulting from more common infractions. In this case, both teams will have only four skating players (not counting the goaltender) until one or both penalties expire (if one penalty expires before
17582-443: The playoffs in 2007 for the second time in team history, but were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup champions Anaheim Ducks in the conference quarterfinals. The Wild broke numerous franchise records during the 2007–08 season , including most goals and points (Marian Gaborik – 42 goals and 83 points). Also, Jacques Lemaire recorded his 500th career coaching win as the Wild clinched their first-ever Northwest Division title in
17731-407: The playoffs in his two seasons as head coach with a 77–71–16 record. Mike Yeo , who coached the Wild's AHL affiliate Houston Aeros to a Western Conference title in 2011, was named the new head coach. During the 2011 NHL entry draft (which the team hosted), the Wild used their tenth overall pick to select Jonas Brodin . The club also created a stir when they traded star defenseman Brent Burns and
17880-401: The playoffs, despite finishing the season strong, with wins in five of their last six games as they finished last in the competitive Northwest Division with a record of 30–29–20–3. Along the way, the Wild began to gear up for the future, trading away several of their older players who were a part of the franchise from the beginning, including Brad Bombardir and Jim Dowd . The 2004–05 season
18029-455: The previous season (see below). This set added a right shoulder patch featuring a recolored "State of Hockey" alternate logo and captaincy patches shaped after the Minnesota state outline. This was the first time that Wild had an official alternate jersey since 2017. In the 2020–21 season , the Wild unveiled a "Reverse Retro" jersey in collaboration with Adidas. The uniform was a callback to the late 1970s Minnesota North Stars white uniform, with
18178-439: The puck carrier and the other two forwards cover the oppositions' wingers, with the two defencemen staying at the blueline. The 1–4 is the most defensive forecheck system, referred to as the neutral zone trap, where one forward applies pressure to the puck carrier around the oppositions' blueline and the other four players stand basically in a line by their blueline in hopes the opposition will skate into one of them. Another strategy
18327-406: The puck carrier in the neutral zone preventing him from entering the offensive zone. Body checking is using one's shoulder or hip to strike an opponent who has the puck or who is the last to have touched it (the last person to have touched the puck is still legally "in possession" of it, although a penalty is generally called if he is checked more than two seconds after his last touch). Body checking
18476-405: The puck in the goal crease, a goaltender intentionally displacing his own goal posts during a breakaway to avoid a goal, a defender intentionally displacing his own goal posts when there is less than two minutes to play in regulation time or at any point during overtime, or a player or coach intentionally throwing a stick or other object at the puck or the puck carrier and the throwing action disrupts
18625-443: The puck to their teammates unless they are in the defensive zone. Players can knock a puck out of the air with their hands to themselves. Players are prohibited from kicking the puck into the opponent's goal, though unintentional redirections off the skate are permitted. Players may not intentionally bat the puck into the net with their hands. Hockey is an off-side game, meaning that forward passes are allowed, unlike in rugby. Before
18774-409: The puck. A deflection is a shot that redirects a shot or a pass towards the goal from another player, by allowing the puck to strike the stick and carom towards the goal. A one-timer is a shot struck directly off a pass, without receiving the pass and shooting in two separate actions. Headmanning the puck , also known as breaking out , is the tactic of rapidly passing to the player farthest down
18923-418: The right side" (of the puck). Another popular concept in ice hockey defensive tactics is that of playing a 200-foot game . An important defensive tactic is checking—attempting to take the puck from an opponent or to remove the opponent from play. Stick checking , sweep checking , and poke checking are legal uses of the stick to obtain possession of the puck. The neutral zone trap is designed to isolate
19072-431: The season with 87 points, their lowest total since the 2018–19 season, and missed the playoffs for the first time since that year. For its first seven years in the NHL, the Wild wore a uniform of either a green or white jersey with red and gold stripes and the primary logo on the front of the jersey. The shoulder patch was a circle with "Minnesota Wild" read in distinctive lettering from both words. The name and numbering on
19221-409: The second round, the Wild were eliminated in a four-game series sweep by Chicago. Following the loss, forward Matt Cooke said, "Our expectations inside this room were a lot higher than [a] second-round series." In 2016, the Wild set a franchise record with the best win record in the first 41 games of the season. Immediately afterward, they went into a skid, losing the next 13 of 14 games, culminating in
19370-463: The seventh overall pick. In the same off-season, the Wild also signed unrestricted free agent winger Zach Parise , a Twin Cities native, and defenseman Ryan Suter to identical 13-year, US$ 98 million contracts. However, the team's busy off-season was overshadowed by the 2012–13 NHL lockout , which ended in January 2013. Prior to the 2013 trade deadline , the Wild acquired Jason Pominville from
19519-406: The shelf all the way down to the ice. This was because the arena's seating configuration was round, and the closest seats between the blue lines were not flush against the boards. Previously not an issue when dasher board advertising was rare, the clear boards made for better sightlines for most spectators seated between the blue lines, since the seating angles in the Civic Center were shallow. When
19668-544: The skater's feet from contact with other skaters, sticks, pucks, the boards, and the ice itself. Rigidity also improves the overall manoeuvrability of the skate. Blade length, thickness (width), and curvature (rocker/radius) (front to back) and radius of hollow (across the blade width) are quite different from speed or figure skates. Hockey players usually adjust these parameters based on their skill level, position, and body type. The blade width of most skates are about 1 ⁄ 8 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Each player other than
19817-517: The song " Born to Be Wild " by Steppenwolf playing over the arena's speaker system. The Minnesota Wild announced its first major sponsorship agreement with MasterCard from First USA . It was the earliest that First USA had ever signed an agreement before a team began play (31 months). The State of Minnesota adopted legislation in April 1998 to loan $ 65 million to the City of Saint Paul to fund 50% of
19966-413: The sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey . Two opposing teams use ice hockey sticks to control, advance, and shoot a vulcanized rubber hockey puck into the other team's net. Each goal is worth one point. The team with the highest score after an hour of playing time is declared the winner; ties are broken in overtime or a shootout . In a formal game, each team has six skaters on
20115-453: The team claimed were the true "number one" to them. The most notable game of the year was the first visit of the Dallas Stars , who had formerly played in Minnesota as the Minnesota North Stars . The Wild rode an emotional sellout crowd of over 18,000 to a 6–0 shutout in Dallas' first regular season game in Minnesota since a neutral-site game in 1993. The season ended with Scott Pellerin as
20264-668: The team finished with 103 points, earning third place in the Central Division and setting them up for a playoff matchup against the division rival Dallas Stars . The Wild signed Brock Faber to his entry-level contract shortly before the playoffs began and immediately following the loss of the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers to the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Big Ten men's ice hockey championship. The Wild were eliminated in six games, marking their eighth consecutive playoff series loss. The Wild re-signed Gustavsson in
20413-482: The team held a tribute to him at game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs game against the Dallas Stars, and adopted " Let's Go Crazy " as their goal song. After a fan poll, the team permanently used "Let's Go Crazy" with the goal horn starting in the 2016–17 season. The Wild kept "Crowd Chant" as their win song. For the 2018–19 season, the team brought back "Crowd Chant" as its goal song and "Let's Go Crazy" became
20562-407: The team on which the penalty was called cannot control the puck without stopping play, it is impossible for them to score a goal. In these cases, the team in possession of the puck can pull the goalie for an extra attacker without fear of being scored on. It is possible for the controlling team to mishandle the puck into their own net. If a delayed penalty is signalled and the team in possession scores,
20711-548: The trade deadline, general manager Chuck Fletcher acquired Ilya Bryzgalov from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round pick, as well as Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick from Buffalo in exchange for Torrey Mitchell and two second-round picks in 2014 and 2016 . In the playoffs, the team would face Colorado, who won the Central Division. The Wild won the series four games to three with an overtime goal in game 7 by Nino Niederreiter . The team would then face
20860-458: The trading of several core players, such as Mikael Granlund , Charlie Coyle and Nino Niederreiter . The Wild finished the season with 83-points, finishing last in the division and missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012. In the 2019 off-season, the Wild signed free agent Mats Zuccarello to a five-year contract. On July 30, 2019, Fenton was fired as general manager, just 14 months after being hired to that position. On August 21, 2019,
21009-399: The two. Defensive skills involve pass interception , shot blocking , and stick checking (in which an attempt to take away the puck or cut off the puck lane is initiated by the stick of the defensive player). Tactical points of emphasis in ice hockey defensive play are concepts like "managing gaps" (gap control), "boxing out"' (not letting the offensive team go on the inside), and "staying on
21158-498: The victimized player. This is usually when blood is drawn during high sticking. Players may be also assessed personal extended penalties or game expulsions for misconduct in addition to the penalty or penalties their team must serve. The team that has been given a penalty is said to be playing short-handed while the opposing team is on a power play . A two-minute minor penalty is often charged for lesser infractions such as tripping , elbowing , roughing , high-sticking , delay of
21307-408: The win song, followed by the singing of the team fight song "The State of Hockey". For the pandemic-shortened 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" remains the win song. The logo depicts both a forest landscape and the silhouette of a wild animal. The "eye" of
21456-477: Was canceled due to an NHL lockout . Former Wild player Sergei Zholtok died from a heart condition during a game in Europe. Zholtok died in the arms of Minnesotan and former Wild player Darby Hendrickson . In the 2005–06 season, the first season after the lockout, Minnesota finished in fifth and last place in the Northwest Division, eight points behind fourth-placed Vancouver Canucks . En route, Marian Gaborik set
21605-461: Was introduced as the official mascot of the team. The franchise was originally owned by a limited partnership formed by former majority owner Bob Naegele, Jr . of Naegele Sports, LLC in 1997. On January 10, 2008, it was announced the franchise was being sold to former Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold . The NHL's Board of Governors officially approved Leipold's purchase of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE) on April 10, 2008. Leipold,
21754-436: Was not until organizers began to officially remove body checking from female ice hockey beginning in the mid-1980s that it began to gain greater popularity, which by then had spread to Europe and a variety of other countries. The first IIHF Women's World Championship was held in 1990, and women's play was introduced into the Olympics in 1998 . Ice hockey is believed to have evolved from simple stick and ball games played in
21903-407: Was retained and the home jersey replaced with a new one that has a small imprint of the team's primary logo inside a white circle, which is surrounded by the words "Minnesota Wild" in a larger ring against a green background. The rest of the jersey is predominantly red, with additional swatches of green on the sleeves outlined with wheat. The away jersey uses a larger version of the primary logo without
22052-472: Was signed via free agency after playing the previous three seasons for the Chicago Blackhawks in order to lessen the blow of Gaborik's departure. During the first month of the 2009–10 season, the team announced their first-ever full-time captain, Mikko Koivu . In 2009, Leipold named Matt Majka as chief operating officer of the team. The 2009–10 and the 2010–11 seasons ended in disappointment for
22201-454: Was used in its inaugural season of 2000–01. The following season, the team removed "Born to Be Wild" but kept "Rock and Roll Part 2" through 2004, before the lockout. After the lockout in 2005, the Wild used a cover of "Rock and Roll Part 1" for the 2005–06 season. For the 2006–07 season, the team changed its goal song to " Crowd Chant " by Joe Satriani shortly after its release. After pop legend and Minneapolis native Prince died in April 2016,
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