Wild vs. Avalanche
The State of Hockey's team, born from the North Stars' departure.
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 Grand Casino Arena, and is owned by Craig Leipold. The Wild are affiliated with the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Jacksonville Icemen of 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 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.
Quick Facts
- Conference (both teams)
- Western
- Current division (both)
- Central
- Wild inaugural season
- 2000-01
- Wild inaugural division
- Northwest
- Avalanche stanley cup
- 2001
- Wild home arena
- Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minnesota
- Avalanche home arena
- Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
- Divisional alignment since
- 2013-14 NHL realignment
Lore & Background
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 Norm Coleman began a campaign to either recruit an existing franchise to the city or 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 NHL announced that Minnesota had been awarded an expansion franchise, to begin play in the 2000–01 season. The six finalist team names (Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild) were announced on November 20, 1997.
Jac Sperling was named CEO, Doug Risebrough general manager, Tod Leiweke president, and Martha Fuller CFO. The team was officially named the Wild on January 22, 1998, at Aldrich Arena. The State of Minnesota adopted legislation in April 1998 to loan $65 million to Saint Paul to fund 50% of the estimated $130 million project costs for the Xcel Energy Center. The City of Saint Paul issued an additional $65 million in bonds.
Deconstruction of the Saint Paul Civic Center began soon after. The Wild announced a 26-year partnership with the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission. Doug Risebrough was named executive vice president/general manager of the Wild and the Xcel Energy Center, later Grand Casino Arena, was completed and ready for use. The Wild named Jacques Lemaire their first head coach and picked Marian Gaborik third overall in 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, skating to a 3–3 tie. Darby Hendrickson scored the first-ever home goal. The team retired the number 1 jersey to honor all Minnesota fans.
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