Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild are a professional hockey team competing in the Central Division of the Western Conference in the NHL. Founded in 1997, they have played in the NHL since the 2000-01 season. They play their home games at Grand Casino Arena, known as Xcel Energy Center until 2025. The Wild have never reached a Stanley Cup Final, but won their first playoff round since 2015 in 2026, beating Dallas. They are built around Kirill Kaprizov and Quinn Hughes, acquired from Vancouver in December 2025.

Minnesota Wild History

The Minnesota North Stars played in the NHL from 1967 to 1993 before relocating to Dallas, Texas, and becoming the Dallas Stars. Four years later, the NHL awarded Minnesota an expansion franchise, leading to the founding of the Wild. The team played its first NHL game in 2000 and has since appeared in 13 playoffs but has yet to reach the Stanley Cup Finals.

Wild Best Players

The Wild have retired one number:

• 9: Mikko Koivu
  

  Arena	Grand Casino Arena, Saint Paul, 17,954
  Conference	Western, Central Division
  Stanley Cups	None; never reached a Final
  2025-26	46-24-12; beat Dallas, lost to Colorado in round two
  Head coach	John Hynes
  Captain	Jared Spurgeon
  General manager	Bill Guerin
  2025 move	Acquired Quinn Hughes from Vancouver, 13 December 2025