Hockey Wilderness
A Minnesota Wild Blog that WON'T make you sick and kill you!
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A Gustavsson Rebound Gives the Wild Plenty Of Options
One of the Minnesota Wild’s biggest developments last season was Jesper Wallstedt’s arrival. The rookie goaltender put up a sensational .916 save percentage during the regular season and ultimately claimed the starting spot in net for the Wild’s playoff run. Wallstedt’s rise was fascinating, bu...
Why Shouldn't Wild Fans Take Quinn Hughes At His Word?
After weeks of speculation about Quinn Hughes' future in a Minnesota Wild uniform, we finally got to hear the superstar defenseman comment at the NHL Media Tour on Wednesday. Speaking about the possibility of an extension, Hughes said, "As we get going here, I'm sure it'll heat up, but I don't feel...
Quinn Hughes Explains Why He Hasn't Signed Extension With the Wild Yet
That's Wild It was the first day of the NHL Media Tour on Wednesday and the first time a bunch of reporters actually got to speak with the stars of the league since their seasons have ended. Most importantly, Quinn Hughes spoke with the media and had a lot to say about how he has not yet sig...
Kirill Kaprizov Can Be A 50 Goal, 100 Point Player In 2026-27
Kirill Kaprizov has played like a superstar for years. Last season, he put up 45 goals and 89 points in just 78 games, and he did it while missing time and playing through the kind of nagging injuries that quietly chip away at a scoring line. For most wingers, that's a career year. For Kaprizov...
The Quinn Hughes Speculation Might Mean Nothing
Welcome to hockey’s national media spotlight. The Minnesota Wild are out of the cornfields and into the headlines. After last year’s blockbuster trade for Quinn Hughes, your favorite hockey team is no longer the Little Brother of the Central Division. Having the eldest Hughes brother on the ro...
I Watched 84 Maxim Shabanov Goals To See If He Can Be An X-Factor
The Minnesota Wild, as constructed, have a very high floor entering the 2026-27 season. Quinn Hughes, Kirill Kaprizov, and Matt Boldy at the top of the lineup give them the star power they need. Defensive stalwarts like Jonas Brodin, Joel Eriksson Ek, Jared Spurgeon, and their goalie tandem make for...
Wild Got Worst News Possible About Quinn Hughes Extension
We are inching closer to the Minnesota Wild opening training camp and star defenseman Quinn Hughes officially starting the final season on his current contract. No promise to stay in Minnesota beyond the next several months and the pressure and panic are ramping up. So, naturally, it's a perfec...
The Juice May Not Be Worth the Squeeze With Dylan Larkin
It’s easy to fall in love with the idea of Dylan Larkin in a Minnesota Wild sweater. He’s a proven top-line center, a former 30-goal man, and the kind of battle-tested leader every contender covets at the deadline. But before Bill Guerin manages the future to bring the Detroit Red Wings captain West...
Panic Trading Quinn Hughes Is the Worst Mistake the Wild Could Make
On paper, the deadline for the Minnesota Wild to extend Quinn Hughes is June 30. But realistically, no one believes that. The common-sense deadline is probably September 30, the day before Minnesota's season opener. If it goes any longer, the questions about what the Wild will do with the superstar...
Can Brock Faber Have 20 Goals and 40 Assists Playing With Quinn Hughes?
Last year, Brock Faber showed that he has the offensive foundation to become a true top-pair scoring threat. After posting 15 goals and 51 points, a jump to 20 goals and 40 assists (60 points) is an aggressive but realistic next step if he spends a full season alongside Quinn Hughes. The bigge...
What Does the Move To Prime Video Mean For Wild Fans?
With the puck dropping on the 2026-27 season in just under a month, Minnesota Wild fans finally have an idea of how they’re going to watch their team – and what it’s going to cost them. On Wednesday, the Wild announced a multi-year local streaming agreement with Prime Video called Wild+, makin...
Cale Makar's Signing Removes One Quinn Hughes Obstacle
Cale Makar’s blockbuster extension should indicate that Quinn Hughes’ deal is coming soon. But it will not make it cheap: Hughes controls nearly every meaningful lever in these negotiations, and Makar just gave his camp the clearest possible benchmark. Colorado’s eight-year, $163.2 million ext...
The Wild Can Overcome Losing Veterans This Offseason
This offseason, the Minnesota Wild said goodbye to three veteran members of their forward group. Mats Zuccarello signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Kings, Marcus Johansson is on his way to play back home in Sweden, and Vladimir Tarasenko is still a free agent. Between the three, the Wild lo...
The Wild's Top-Heavy Roster Could Be A Boon During Expansion
We’re hearing a lot of big numbers thrown around these days. A $136 million contract for Kirill Kaprizov. $17 million per year. And, in light of Cale Makar’s $20.4 million AAV, Quinn Hughes is likely in line to make even more than Kaprizov. It makes you look down the lineup and wonder: How can...
We've Gone Back To Underrating Ryan Hartman Again
When Ryan Hartman first arrived in St. Paul, he was absolutely underrated. In 2019, the Minnesota Wild became his fifth club in three years, despite decent bottom-six production. He only got to the Wild because the Dallas Stars traded for him as a restricted free agent, then immediately decided to l...
Wild Earn Terrible Position In Very Important NHL Ranking
Famously, each press box in the NHL is loaded with some sort of snacks for the beat reporters in attendance. It's things we sometimes see pictures of online from said beat reporters, if they choose to post it, but for the well-traveled beats, they know the landscape very well. Pittsburgh Penguins re...
Adam Benák’s NCAA Season Could Define His NHL Potential
The Minnesota Wild’s prospect pool took a significant hit after they traded most of it away last year. Still, Minnesota has some interesting pieces for the future. Adam Benák is among the most interesting to follow. His situation will only get more fascinating in this upcoming season as he begins hi...
Don't Rule Out Bobby Brink Winning the Top Line Sweepstakes
Once the Minnesota Wild resolve their Quinn Hughes contract situation, all eyes will turn to the vacancy opposite Kirill Kaprizov. The Wild let longtime running mate Mats Zuccarello go this offseason and have a few suitors to replace him. So far, it seems like Max Shabanov, a speedy, skilled Russian...
Bill Guerin Refuses to Answer Question About Quinn Hughes
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin spoke publicly about his team for the first time in a while on Monday and of course, Quinn Hughes was brought up. One of the best defensemen in the world is eligible to sign a contract extension, as he is heading into the final year of his current deal...
What Does Connor Hellebuyck's Trade Request Mean For the Wild?
Connor Hellebuyck made it official on Thursday. Through his agent Ray Petkau, the three-time Vezina Trophy winner confirmed what had been a bit of an open secret since spring: He wants out of Winnipeg. "Several months ago, I privately requested a trade," Hellebuyck wrote. "I have tried to hand...
Kirill Kaprizov Is Drawing Attention In the Offseason
It's August 31. What are we truly meant to talk about? The Minnesota Wild are weeks away from training camp so we're stuck here wondering about a Quinn Hughes contract extension and if the team will be good enough for us to think of them as a serious contender. To do that, players will nee...
Kirill Kaprizov Is Drawing Attention In the Offseason
It's August 31. What are we truly meant to talk about? The Minnesota Wild are weeks away from training camp so we're stuck here wondering about a Quinn Hughes contract extension and if the team will be good enough for us to think of them as a serious contender. To do that, players will nee...
Giving Kirill Kaprizov the C Would Reflect the Wild's New Identity
Kirill Kaprizov is the clear choice to become the next captain of the Minnesota Wild, with Quinn Hughes and Marcus Foligno serving as ideal alternate captains. Together, they would give Minnesota a leadership group that reflects the franchise's present identity: elite talent, championship ambition,...
The Wild Should Offer Quinn Hughes the Max
The hockey world has been waiting for the elite defenseman market to be completely reset all summer. We got a hint of what was to come when the Chicago Blackhawks extended Bowen Byram for eight years at $12.5 million AAV, the highest at the position. But Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes were going to be...
We Might See A Quinn Hughes Extension Very Soon
Elliotte Friedman reported on Thursday that a contract extension between the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar is coming. Whether it is hours or days from now, it is expected to happen and at a fairly large number. Now we know who really blinked first. It was a big stand-off between Makar and M...
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