Head coach John Hynes has proven to be a good fit after taking over early in the 2023-24 season. Still, Minnesota did not have the metrics of a serious championship contender. While Stanley Cup betting odds have been made, it has been minimal. Following their absence from the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Minnesota Wild made it back in 2025. Minnesota has been a consistent playoff franchise with 11 playoff appearances in the past 13 campaigns. However, the Wild had never gotten past the first round in their most recent seven playoff appearances entering this spring.
2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Preview: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild
| Date and Time: | Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 11 PM ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV. |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Wild | +1½ -140 | 5½ -108 | +195 |  |
| Vegas Golden Knights | -1½ +120 | 5½ -108 | -220 | |
| ||||
Minnesota Wild Series Schedule
- Game 2: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 22, 11, ESPN
- Game 3: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, April 24, 9, TBS, truTV, Max
- Game 4: Golden Knights at Wild, Saturday, April 24, 4, TBS, truTV, Max
- x-Game 5: Wild at Golden Knights, Tuesday, April 29, TBD
- x-Game 6: Golden Knights at Wild, Thursday, May 1, TBD
- x-Game 7: Wild at Golden Knights, Saturday, May 3, TBD
Minnesota Wild Head Coach
Head coach John Hynes previously served in that role with the New Jersey Devils and Nashville Predators. Overall, his career offshore bookmaker record is 362-309-75.
Minnesota Wild Goaltenders
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is a five-time All-Star and won three Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins. But how much does he have left in the tank? Last year, his save percentage slipped to .895. This season, Fleury has a 2.94 goals against average and a save percentage of .899. His record is 14-9-1 with one shutout.
Filip Gustavsson is in his third season with Minnesota. His save percentage was .899 last year. This year, he has a 2.56 goals against average with a .914 save percentage. To summarize, his record is 31-19-6 with five shutouts.
Minnesota Wild Key Players
LW Kirill Kaprizov had 46 goals and 50 assists last year. In 2024, he was named to the All-Star Game for the third straight season. In turn, this season, Kaprizov has 25 goals, 31 assists, 56 points, and a +19.
C Joel Eriksson Ek was the Wild’s 20th overall pick in the 2015 NHL Draft. Last year, he scored 30 goals. This season, he has 14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points, and a +9.
Matt Boldy has emerged with 27 goals, 46 assists, 73 points, and a +1. At the same time, Marco Rossi has contributed 24 goals, 36 assists, 60 points, and a +3.
D Brock Faber has emerged as an asset as the top Minnesota blueliner. He continues to improve as a power-play quarterback. Last year, he scored eight goals with 39 assists. This season, Faber has 10 goals, 19 assists, 29 points, and a -2.
Minnesota Wild Record, Metrics & History
Minnesota had NHL rankings of 25th for goals scored and 20th for power play efficiency. In comparison, on defense, the Wild had NHL Playoff betting odds NHL rankings of 16th for goals against and 31st for penalty killing.
To conclude the regular season, the Minnesota Wild were 45-30-7 straight up and 35-43-4 over/under the total. Also, Minnesota was 7th in the Western Conference playoff standings, 19 points behind the Winnipeg Jets.
When the Minnesota Wild were born, they moved into a sparkling Xcel Energy Center. Specifically, it is a modern arena that opened up additional revenue streams. The Wild has also done a far better job than the North Stars of community involvement and marketing. But a serious championship run remains an elusive goal in the State of Hockey.