Hockey Wilderness
A Minnesota Wild Blog that WON'T make you sick and kill you!
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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...
Kaprizov Will Be Fine In His Post-Zuccarello Era
One of the many huge questions of the Minnesota Wild's offseason is who will ride shotgun with Kirill Kaprizov? The Wild's superstar has spent his first six NHL seasons almost tied to winger Mats Zuccarello. The two weren't just off-ice besties, but fed off each other's games. Kaprizov average...
The Wild Fanbase Isn't Satisfied Anymore
The Minnesota Wild just advanced past the first round of the postseason for the fourth time in 25 years. Over that quarter-century, fans have wondered how a team that spends to the cap in a solid hockey market can manage so little success. It's not like they haven't had big names. Kirill Kaprizov, M...
Wild Name EBUG Under New Rules, Give Him Another Job
The NHL's new CBA is officially starting on September 15 and with it, comes a new rule for the Emergency Back-Up Goalie (EBUG) position. And the Minnesota Wild are the first team in the league to make their decision official. Previously, every NHL arena would host an EBUG that could play for ei...
Hunter Haight Has A Lot To Prove This Training Camp
August is coming to a close, and training camp is right around the corner. The preseason is a crucial time for teams to evaluate how their young players are coming along and whether they’re ready to make the NHL roster. Several prospects will look to make their mark this September, but Hunter Haight...
Charlie Stramel Is Raising His Ceiling
When the Minnesota Wild drafted Charlie Stramel 21st overall in 2023, one word we didn't hear much was "upside." His best attributes were size and two-way play, and his scoring numbers in his freshman season at Wisconsin (five goals, 12 points in 33 games) didn't hint at more to come. His three goal...
Could Maxim Shabanov Replicate Zuccarello’s Production On Kaprizov's Line?
Maxim Shabanov has a legitimate chance to earn time next to Kirill Kaprizov, but expecting him to immediately duplicate Mats Zuccarello’s production would be unfair. However, he may offer the Wild a different and potentially more dynamic version of top-line support. Still, replacing Zuccarello’s poi...
The Wild Foundation Had A Record-Breaking 2025-26 Season
The Minnesota Wild’s 2025-26 season was largely defined by what happened on the ice. The Quinn Hughes trade, a playoff run that reached the second round, and the offseason decisions that followed. However, while the team was making headlines, the Wild were making an impact off the ice. The Minn...
Matt Boldy Needs To Do It Again
What do Jamie Benn, Matt Duchene, Eric Staal, and Thomas Vanek have in common? They're four of the 52 players who have made the 40/40 Club in the Salary Cap Era. There's also another thing they share: They've only done it once. This is probably why these four are (likely) not making the H...
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