2008 Wild Divisional Round Game 7 vs San Jose Sharks

Lore & Background

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. 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. The team have appeared in the playoffs a total of 14 times, and have won one division championship, in 2008.

Reader's Guide

The Wild's home arena is the Grand Casino Arena. The team's first head coach was Jacques Lemaire. Marian Gaborik scored the first-ever goal for the Wild in their franchise debut on October 6 at Anaheim. The Wild's first-ever home game was on October 11 against the Philadelphia Flyers, resulting in a 3–3 tie.

Did You Know?

• The Wild were officially named on January 22, 1998, with the song 'Born to Be Wild' by Steppenwolf playing.
• The Wild retired the number 1 jersey to honor all Minnesota fans.
• In the 2003 playoffs, the Wild became the first team in playoff history to win two seven-game series after facing elimination in Game 5.

Franchise Origins and Arena Development

Following the departure of the Minnesota North Stars in 1993, the state endured a seven-year drought without an NHL presence. Saint Paul Mayor Norm Coleman spearheaded efforts to bring hockey back, initially attempting to relocate the Winnipeg Jets before arena negotiations collapsed. Consequently, businessman Bob Naegele led a successful bid for expansion, resulting in the NHL awarding Minnesota a new franchise on June 25, 1997. The team officially adopted the name 'Wild' in January 1998 during a ceremony at Aldrich Arena, accompanied by Steppenwolf's anthem.

To facilitate this return, the state of Minnesota approved significant legislation to fund the construction of a new home venue, originally named Xcel Energy Center and later known as the Grand Casino Arena. This facility was built on the site of the demolished Saint Paul Civic Center through a unique public-private partnership with the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. The arena's funding relied heavily on rent payments rather than taxes, ensuring the team could begin play in the 2000–01 season under the leadership of CEO Jac Sperling and General Manager Doug Risebrough.

Historic Playoff Resurgence

The Minnesota Wild achieved their most significant early milestone during the 2002–03 campaign, marking their first-ever trip to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Despite being a relatively new expansion team, they executed a miraculous run that saw them overcome substantial odds twice in succession. In the opening round against the third-seeded Colorado Avalanche, Minnesota rallied from a 3–1 series deficit, forcing Game 7 where Andrew Brunette scored the clinching goal against Patrick Roy.

They repeated this feat in the conference semifinals against the Vancouver Canucks, again erasing a 3–1 hole to win the series in seven games. This performance made them the first team in playoff history to force and win two seven-game series after facing elimination in Game 5 of each. Their journey ultimately ended in the Western Conference finals against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, where they were swept four games to zero while struggling to score against goaltender Jean-Sébastien Giguère.

Foundational Stars and Milestones

The franchise's identity was quickly established through its inaugural roster and historic firsts. Jacques Lemaire was hired as the first head coach, guiding a team that selected Marian Gaborik third overall in the 2000 draft. Gaborik immediately made history by scoring the franchise's first-ever goal during their debut against Anaheim on October 6, 2000. The home opener followed days later with a 3–3 tie against Philadelphia, where local native Darby Hendrickson recorded the first home goal.

In a symbolic gesture before that game, the team retired jersey number one to honor all Minnesota fans as their 'number one,' ensuring no player would ever wear it. A particularly emotional moment occurred during the Dallas Stars' first visit since relocating from Minnesota; the Wild dominated with a 6–0 shutout in front of an enthusiastic sellout crowd. Early scoring leaders included Scott Pellerin and Gaborik, who developed into a cornerstone player with a strong sophomore season that earned him an invitation to the NHL YoungStars Game.

Organizational Structure and Legacy

The Minnesota Wild operate as a member of the Central Division within the Western Conference, maintaining deep roots in Saint Paul. Ownership is held by Craig Leipold, while the organization maintains developmental ties through affiliations with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League and the Jacksonville Icemen of the ECHL. Since their inception following the 1997 announcement, the team has appeared in the playoffs fourteen times, cementing their place as a consistent competitor despite early growing pains.

Their most notable divisional achievement came in 2008 when they secured their first-ever division championship title. This success was built upon the foundation laid by early executives like Tod Leiweke and Martha Fuller, who helped navigate the complex financial landscape of building a new arena and establishing a professional sports franchise from the ground up after the long absence of NHL hockey in the state.