The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. 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.[3] The Wild are affiliated with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Iowa Heartlanders of the ECHL.
The Wild were founded on June 25, 1997, and began play in the 2000–01 season.[4] 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 the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.[5] 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,[6] 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 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 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 the new NHL franchise (Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild), were announced on November 20, 1997.[7] Jac Sperling was named chief executive officer of the Minnesota team,[8] 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 Area on January 22, 1998, with 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 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 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 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[9] and the Xcel Energy Center was completed and ready for use.
- Leagues
- NHL
- Seasons
- 2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25
Results
(OVER 5.5 GOALS) 7 - 2NHL Vegas vs Minnesota |
(TOTAL OVER 61.5 SHOTS ON TARGET) 32 - 22NHL Colorado vs Minnesota |
(1X(HOME WIN OR DRAW)) 2 - 4NHL Minnesota vs Winnipeg |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 3 - 2NHL Minnesota vs Ottawa |
(1X(HOME WIN OR DRAW)) 1 - 2(OT)NHL Minnesota vs Vegas |
(TEAM 1 WIN IN REGULAR TIME) 2 - 0NHL Minnesota vs Anaheim |
(TEAM 1 TOTAL OVER 3) 4 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Arizona |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 3) 2 - 5NHL Arizona vs Minnesota |
(1X(HOME WIN OR DRAW)) 2 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Carolina |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2.5) 2 - 4NHL Edmonton vs Minnesota |
(2X(AWAY WIN OR DRAW)) 6 - 3NHL Winnipeg vs Minnesota |
(UNDER 6.5 GOALS) 10 - 7NHL Minnesota vs Vancouver |
(TEAM 2 HANDICAP 0) 1 - 3NHL Arizona vs Minnesota |
(UNDER 6 GOALS) 3 - 2NHL Minnesota vs Pittsburgh |
(TEAM 2 WIN(INCLUDING OT)) 1 - 2NHL Chicago vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 1 WIN(INCLUDING OT)) 2 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Anaheim |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 2 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Nashville |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 5 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Washington |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2) 4 - 6NHL Florida vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2.5) 5 - 0NHL Minnesota vs NY Islanders |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2.5) 3 - 4(OT)NHL Minnesota vs Philadelphia |
(TEAM 1 WIN(INCLUDING OT)) 7 - 2NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 6 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Detroit |
(UNDER 6.5 GOALS) 4(OT) - 3NHL Minnesota vs Montreal |
(UNDER 6 GOALS) 4 - 3NHL Pittsburgh vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 1 TOTAL OVER 3) 3(OT) - 2NHL Minnesota vs Calgary |
(TEAM 2 HANDICAP 0) 0 - 3NHL Seattle Kraken vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 1 WIN(INCLUDING OT)) 4 - 3NHL Edmonton vs Minnesota |
(2X(AWAY WIN OR DRAW)) 2 - 0NHL Vancouver vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 1 - 6NHL Nashville vs Minnesota |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 3) 2 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Colorado |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2.5) 3 - 8NHL Minnesota vs Dallas |
(TEAM 1 HANDICAP 0) 4 - 1NHL NY Rangers vs Minnesota |
(UNDER 7 GOALS) 3 - 5NHL Minnesota vs New Jersey |
(TEAM 2 TOTAL OVER 2.5) 3(OT) - 2NHL Washington vs Minnesota |
(UNDER 6.5 GOALS) 2 - 5NHL Montreal vs Minnesota |
(BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE OVER 1.5 GOALS) 1 - 4NHL Minnesota vs Dallas |
(2X(AWAY WIN OR DRAW)) 4 - 0NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE OVER 1.5 GOALS) 2 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Dallas |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 7 - 3NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(Prediction-Both teams to score over 1.5 goals.) 2 - 3(OT)NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(Prediction-under 6 goals.) 1 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Winnipeg |
(Prediction-Team 2 total over 2 goals.) 5 - 3NHL Minnesota vs St. Louis |
(Prediction-2X(Away win or draw).) 4 - 1NHL Pittsburgh vs Minnesota |
(Prediction-Team 2 total over 2.5 goals.) 3 - 4(OT)NHL Minnesota vs Vegas |
(Prediction-Team 1 total over 2.5 goals.) 4 - 1NHL Vegas vs Minnesota |
(Prediction-under 6 goals.) 5 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Seattle Kraken |
(Prediction-under 6.5 goals.) 3 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Chicago |
(Prediction-under 6.5 goals.) 2 - 5NHL Minnesota vs Boston |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 0 - 1(OT)NHL Minnesota vs Calgary |
(Prediction-under 6.5 goals.) 3(OT) - 2NHL Minnesota vs Columbus |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 2 - 1NHL Minnesota vs LA Kings |
(Prediction-under 6 goals.) 2(OT) - 1NHL Minnesota vs Dallas |
(Prediction-under 6.5 goals.) 3(OT) - 2NHL Minnesota vs New Jersey |
(Prediction-under 6 goals.) 1 - 5NHL Minnesota vs Vegas |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 4 - 1NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 3 - 2NHL Arizona vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 4 - 2NHL Tampa Bay vs Minnesota |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 5 - 3NHL Florida vs Minnesota |
(Prediction -Home win(including OT).) 5 - 2NHL Carolina vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 2 - 4NHL Washington vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 6(OT) - 5NHL Buffalo vs Minnesota |
(Prediction -Home wins(including OT).) 5 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Tampa Bay |
(Prediction-under 6.5 goals) 5 - 2NHL San Jose vs Minnesota |
(Prediction -Home wins in regular time.) 4 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Detroit |
(Prediction -Home wins(including OT).) 2 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Edmonton |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 5 - 2NHL Edmonton vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 5 - 6(OT)NHL Dallas vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 6 goals.) 5 - 3NHL Minnesota vs Edmonton |
(Prediction -Home wins(including OT).) 6 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Winnipeg |
(Prediction - Away team wins(including OT).) 2 - 1NHL Nashville vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - away team wins(including OT).) 0 - 1NHL Seattle Kraken vs Minnesota |
(Prediction - over 5.5 goals.) 0 - 4NHL Minnesota vs Seattle Kraken |
(Prediction - over 5.5 goals.) 4 - 1NHL Minnesota vs Montreal |
(Prediction - over 6.5 goals.) 3 - 4(OT)NHL Chicago vs Minnesota |
(Prediction -over 5.5 goals.) 4(OT) - 3NHL Minnesota vs Vancouver |
(Prediction - over 6.5 goals.) 6 - 7NHL Minnesota vs LA Kings |
(Prediction - over 6.5 goals.) 3 - 7NHL Minnesota vs NY Rangers |