| Founded: | June 25, 1997 | GM: | Bill Guerin |
| Owned By: | Craig Leipold | Coach: | John Hynes |
| Home Rink: | Xcel Energy Center | Captain: | Jared Spurgeon |
| AHL Affiliate: | Iowa Wild | ECHL Affiliate: | Iowa Heartlanders |
The Minnesota Wild were founded on June 25, 1997, but did not start play until the 2000–01 season. The Wild were the first NHL franchise in Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas in 1993. They lost their first game, 3–1, to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim and recorded their first win against the Tampa Bay Lightning five games later. In the 2002–03 season, the team made their first Stanley Cup playoffs appearance, making a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals.
Deeper Dive
- The Latest Minnesota Wild News at The Hockey Writers
- Current Players, Salaries and Cap Info
- Top 5 Wild Forwards of All-Time
- Top 5 Wild Defencemen of All-Time
- Top 3 Wild Goalies of All-Time
- Top Wild Head Coaches in History
2023-24 Season Roster
The State of Hockey
The State of Hockey… What does it mean? Where does it come from? It’s hardly a secret that Minnesota has long been a hockey Mecca. The first hockey teams in Minnesota were formed a couple of decades before Henry Ford’s Model-T changed the world. Read more…
The Players
More Wild History
- Revisiting the Wild’s 2000 Expansion Draft
- A Look at the Zach Parise & Ryan Suter Era
- Minnesota Wild Top 5 Fan Favorites
Mikko Koivu: The Wild’s Living History
For many decades, it was not uncommon for a player to play his entire NHL career in one place. Since 1995, it has become improbable for all but a select few per generation. The idea itself is less business than romance; an obvious reason it’s certainly seen less today than even a decade or two ago. A player whose career essentially begins with a franchise’s beginning is relatively unheard of in this modern era of sports. For this reason, Mikko Koivu is the closest thing to a living history of the Minnesota Wild in existence. Read more…
Captains
- Rotating Captains, 2000-2009
- Mikko Koivu, 2009-2020
- Jared Spurgeon, 2021-present
Head Coaching History
- Jacques Lemaire, 2001-2009
- Todd Richards, 2010-2011
- Mike Yeo, 2012-2016
- John Torchetti, 2016
- Bruce Boudreau, 2017-2020
- Dean Evason, 2020-2024
- John Hynes, 2024