History of Minnesota Wild in Timeline

The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, competing in the NHL's Western Conference, Central Division. Their home games are played at the Xcel Energy Center. Craig Leipold owns the team. The Wild have affiliations with the Iowa Wild in the AHL and the Iowa Heartlanders in the ECHL.

1985: Jacques Lemaire inducted into Hall of Fame

Jacques Lemaire, who later coached the Minnesota Wild, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a player in 1985.

1992: Departure of the Minnesota North Stars

Following the 1992-93 season, the Minnesota North Stars departed, leaving the state of Minnesota without an NHL team for seven seasons.

1993: First regular season game in Minnesota since 1993

The most notable game of the year in 2000 was the first visit of the Dallas Stars, who had formerly played in Minnesota as the Minnesota North Stars. This was Dallas' first regular season game in Minnesota since a neutral-site game in 1993.

June 25, 1997: Minnesota Wild Founded

On June 25, 1997, the Minnesota Wild were founded after the departure of the Minnesota North Stars.

June 25, 1997: Expansion Franchise Awarded to Minnesota

On June 25, 1997, the NHL announced that Minnesota had been awarded an expansion franchise, set to begin play in the 2000-01 season.

November 20, 1997: Finalist Team Names Announced

On November 20, 1997, the six finalist team names for the new NHL franchise were announced: Blue Ox, Freeze, Northern Lights, Voyageurs, White Bears, and Wild.

1997: Franchise originally owned by Bob Naegele, Jr.

In 1997, the Minnesota Wild franchise was initially owned by a limited partnership formed by former majority owner Bob Naegele, Jr. of Naegele Sports, LLC.

January 22, 1998: Team Name Unveiled: The Wild

On January 22, 1998, the team was officially named the Wild at the Aldrich Arena, with the song "Born to Be Wild" by Steppenwolf playing.

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April 1998: Legislation Adopted for Xcel Energy Center Funding

In April 1998, the State of Minnesota adopted legislation to loan $65 million to the City of Saint Paul to fund 50% of the Xcel Energy Center project costs.

2000: NHL retires Wayne Gretzky's No. 99

At the 2000 NHL All-Star Game, the NHL retired Wayne Gretzky's No. 99 for all its member teams.

2000: Rotating captaincy begins

From 2000 to 2009, the Minnesota Wild utilized a rotating captaincy system on a monthly basis, with multiple players serving each season, some multiple times, under Jacques Lemaire.

2000: Jacques Lemaire Named Head Coach and Marian Gaborik Drafted

In 2000, Jacques Lemaire was named the first head coach of the Minnesota Wild, and the team selected Marian Gaborik third overall in the NHL entry draft.

2000: Franchise to Begin Play

In 2000, the National Hockey League announced that Minnesota's expansion franchise would begin playing in the 2000–01 season.

2000: Inaugural goal songs

In the inaugural 2000-01 season, the Minnesota Wild's first goal songs were "Born to Be Wild" and "Rock and Roll Part 2".

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2000: Jacques Lemaire's Resignation

Jacques Lemaire, head coach of the Wild since the team's inception in the 2000–01 season, resigned at season's end.

2001: Strong start to the season

In the 2001–02 season, the Wild got off to a strong start by earning at least one point in its first seven games.

2002: Marian Gaborik vying for the league scoring crown

In 2002, Marian Gaborik spent much of the 2002–03 season vying for the league scoring crown before slumping in the second half.

2003: Struggles and trades during the 2003-04 season

During the 2003-04 season, the Wild faced challenges with player holdouts and struggled to regain form. They later traded away older players, signaling a shift towards the future.

2003: First Stanley Cup playoffs appearance

In 2003, the Wild made their first Stanley Cup playoffs appearance, advancing to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

2004: "Rock and Roll Part 2" used until 2004

After removing "Born to Be Wild", the team kept "Rock and Roll Part 2" through 2004 before the lockout.

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2004: NHL Lockout and Sergei Zholtok's Death

The 2004-05 NHL season was canceled due to a lockout. During a game in Europe in 2004, former Wild player Sergei Zholtok died from a heart condition.

2005: Cover of "Rock and Roll Part 1"

After the lockout in 2005, the Wild used a cover of "Rock and Roll Part 1" for the 2005-06 season.

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2005: Fifth Place Finish in Northwest Division

In the 2005-06 season, Minnesota finished in fifth place in the Northwest Division in 2005.

2006: "Crowd Chant" becomes the goal song

For the 2006-07 season, shortly after its release, the team changed its goal song to "Crowd Chant" by Joe Satriani.

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2006: Franchise Records and Goaltender Trade

In 2006, Marian Gaborik set a new franchise record for goals in a season at 38, and Brian Rolston set a new highest point total at 79. Dwayne Roloson was traded to the Edmonton Oilers for a first-round pick in the 2006 NHL entry draft.

January 2007: Gaborik Returns from Injury

In January 2007, Marian Gaborik returned from a groin injury, bringing a spark to the Minnesota Wild's offense.

December 7, 2007: Leipold completes sale of Nashville Predators

On December 7, 2007, Craig Leipold finalized the sale of the Nashville Predators to a local ownership group. He had owned the Predators since the expansion franchise was awarded to Nashville in 1997.

2007: Inaugural Hockey Day Minnesota

Since 2007, the Minnesota Wild have been involved in the community through the Minnesota Wild Foundation, supporting hockey with events like Hockey Day Minnesota, celebrated annually. The Wild have a 13-2-1 record on Hockey Day Minnesota.

2007: Numerous Franchise Records Broken

The Wild broke numerous franchise records during the 2007–08 season, including most goals and points (Marian Gaborik – 42 goals and 83 points).

January 10, 2008: Sale to Craig Leipold announced

On January 10, 2008, it was announced that the Minnesota Wild franchise was being sold to former Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold.

April 3, 2008: Northwest Division Title

On April 3, 2008, Jacques Lemaire recorded his 500th career coaching win as the Wild clinched their first-ever Northwest Division title in a 3–1 victory over the Calgary Flames.

April 10, 2008: NHL approves Leipold's purchase

On April 10, 2008, the NHL's Board of Governors officially approved Craig Leipold's purchase of Minnesota Sports & Entertainment (MSE).

2008: Ninth Place Finish in Western Conference

Despite winning the Northwest Division the previous season, the Wild fell to ninth place in the Western Conference in 2008–09, missing the playoffs.

2008: Off-season Acquisitions

During the 2008 off-season, the Wild re-acquired Andrew Brunette from Colorado and traded for defenseman Marek Zidlicky. The Wild also signed free agents Antti Miettinen and Owen Nolan to multi-year deals.

2008: Koivu Captain

During the 2008-09 season, Mikko Koivu served as captain three times as part of the rotating captaincy.

2008: "Nordy" introduced as the official mascot

In 2008, "Nordy" was introduced as the official mascot of the Minnesota Wild team.

2008: Division Championship Win

In 2008, the Minnesota Wild won their first division championship.

August 30, 2009: Wild unveil alternate jersey

On August 30, 2009, the Minnesota Wild unveiled another third/alternate jersey, which is predominantly green with wheat accents and says "Minnesota Wild" in script writing across the chest.

October 20, 2009: Mikko Koivu named permanent captain

On October 20, 2009, Mikko Koivu, became the franchise's first permanent captain after Todd Richards became head coach. He was the last rotating captain and had held the captaincy three times in the 2008-09 season.

2009: Permanent captaincy begins

In 2009, the Minnesota Wild began using a system of permanent captaincy.

2009: Changes in Management and Player Signings

In the 2009 off-season, Marian Gaborik signed with the New York Rangers as a free agent. Chuck Fletcher was hired as general manager, and Todd Richards was selected as head coach. Martin Havlat was signed to lessen the blow of Gaborik's departure. Mikko Koivu was named the team's first-ever full-time captain, and Matt Majka was named chief operating officer in 2009.

2009: Disappointing Seasons and Draft Selection

The 2009-10 and the 2010-11 seasons ended in disappointment for the Wild as they missed the playoffs in both seasons.

2010: Mikael Granlund Drafted

In the 2010 NHL entry draft, the Wild selected Finnish forward Mikael Granlund with the ninth overall pick.

2011: NHL Entry Draft and Blockbuster Trades

During the 2011 NHL entry draft, the Wild selected Jonas Brodin. The club also traded Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks for Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle, and Zack Phillips. Later, Martin Havlat was traded for Dany Heatley in another trade with the Sharks.

2011: Todd Richards Fired and Mike Yeo Hired

Following the 2010-11 season, head coach Todd Richards was fired, and Mike Yeo was named the new head coach in 2011.

2012: Signing of Mikael Granlund, Matt Dumba drafted, and signing of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter

During the 2012 off-season, the Wild signed Mikael Granlund to a three-year contract and drafted Matt Dumba with the seventh overall pick. The Wild also signed Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to identical 13-year, US$98 million contracts in 2012.

2012: Franchise Record for Most Wins in One Month

In November 2011, the team set a franchise record for most wins in one month with 11.

2012: Trade of Brent Burns

The Minnesota Wild traded Brent Burns to the San Jose Sharks in 2012.

January 2013: Overshadowed by the 2012-13 NHL Lockout

The Minnesota Wild's busy off-season in 2012 was overshadowed by the 2012-13 NHL lockout, which ended in January 2013.

April 27, 2013: Wild reach postseason

On April 27, 2013, the Minnesota Wild secured a playoff berth for the fourth time in franchise history with a 3–1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

2013: Wild acquire Ilya Bryzgalov

During the 2013 trade deadline, the Wild's general manager, Chuck Fletcher, acquired Ilya Bryzgalov from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a fourth-round pick.

2013: Wild move to the Central Division

In 2013, following negotiations, the NHL restructured its divisions, leading to the dissolution of the Northwest Division. Consequently, the Minnesota Wild moved to the Central Division, joining teams like the Winnipeg Jets and Colorado Avalanche.

2013: Iowa Wild relocate from Houston

In 2013, the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL), a minor league affiliate of the Minnesota Wild, relocated its franchise from Houston. The Iowa Wild are owned by the parent club.

2013: Lettering updated on away jersey

In 2013, the lettering was updated to match the home and alternate sweaters, at the same time updating the sweater's look to a more traditional design.

2014: Wild sign Thomas Vanek

During the 2014 off-season, the Minnesota Wild signed forward Thomas Vanek as a free agent.

April 2016: Tribute to Prince and adoption of "Let's Go Crazy"

Following the death of Minneapolis native Prince in April 2016, the Minnesota Wild honored him at game 6 of the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Dallas Stars. They adopted Prince's song "Let's Go Crazy" as their goal song, later making it permanent after a fan poll.

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2016: Wild acquire Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick

During the 2013 trade deadline, Matt Moulson and Cody McCormick were traded to Minnesota Wild from Buffalo in exchange for Torrey Mitchell and two second-round picks in 2014 and 2016.

2016: Wild hire Bruce Boudreau

During the 2016 off-season, the Minnesota Wild hired Bruce Boudreau as their new head coach, replacing interim head coach John Torchetti.

2016: Wild sign Eric Staal

During the 2016 off-season, the Minnesota Wild signed Eric Staal to a three-year contract.

2016: Wild's win streak snapped by Columbus Blue Jackets

On New Year's Eve 2016, the Minnesota Wild's franchise-record 12-game win streak was snapped by the Columbus Blue Jackets, who were also on a franchise-record win streak at the time.

April 4, 2017: Wild honor Minnesota North Stars

On April 4, 2017, the Minnesota Wild honored the Minnesota North Stars by wearing North Stars jerseys for warm-ups, even though the North Stars history belongs to the Dallas Stars.

June 20, 2017: Wild introduce new home uniform

On June 20, 2017, the Minnesota Wild introduced a new home uniform, as the NHL switched from Reebok to Adidas.

2017: Wild experience roster turnover

During the 2017 off-season, the Minnesota Wild experienced significant roster turnover, including losing Erik Haula to the Vegas Golden Knights in the expansion draft.

2017: Mikko Koivu signs extension

In 2017, Captain Mikko Koivu signed a two-year extension, ensuring he would remain with the Minnesota Wild through the 2019–20 season.

2017: Last official alternate jersey before 2023

In 2017, before the unveiling of the new alternate jersey on September 23, 2023, the Minnesota Wild had an official alternate jersey.

2017: "This Is Our Ice" tradition unveiled

In 2017, the Minnesota Wild introduced a tradition called "This Is Our Ice", encouraging fans to contribute water from local sources to the Xcel Energy Center ice. Fans can bring water to regular-season home games and add it to a collection station, which will then be added to the ice for the season.

2017: Wild Set Franchise Records

In 2017, the Minnesota Wild set new franchise records for points (106), wins (49), and goals for (266).

April 23, 2018: Wild fire general manager Fletcher

On April 23, 2018, the Minnesota Wild's owner, Leipold, announced the firing of general manager Fletcher after nine seasons with the team.

May 21, 2018: Paul Fenton hired as general manager

On May 21, 2018, Paul Fenton was hired as the third general manager in the history of the Minnesota Wild franchise.

2018: "Crowd Chant" returns as goal song

For the 2018-19 season, the team brought back "Crowd Chant" as its goal song and "Let's Go Crazy" became the win song, followed by the singing of the team fight song "The State of Hockey".

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July 30, 2019: Wild fire Paul Fenton

On July 30, 2019, the Minnesota Wild fired general manager Paul Fenton, just 14 months after he was hired to that position.

August 21, 2019: Bill Guerin hired as general manager

On August 21, 2019, the Minnesota Wild hired Bill Guerin as the fourth general manager in franchise history.

February 14, 2020: Wild fire Bruce Boudreau

On February 14, 2020, the Minnesota Wild fired head coach Bruce Boudreau and named Dean Evason as interim head coach.

2020: "Reverse Retro" jersey unveiled

In 2020, during the 2020-21 season, the Wild, in collaboration with Adidas, introduced a "Reverse Retro" jersey that resembled the late 1970s Minnesota North Stars white uniform, with the Wild logo's colors adjusted to match the team's green and gold scheme.

September 21, 2021: Kirill Kaprizov signs contract

On September 21, 2021, Kirill Kaprizov signed a five-year, $45 million contract with the Minnesota Wild, becoming the highest-paid sophomore player in NHL history.

2021: "Shout" by The Isley Brothers used as the goal song

In the 2021-22 Season, the Wild used "Shout" by The Isley Brothers as their goal song. "Let's Go Crazy" remained the win song.

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July 7, 2022: Wild trade Cam Talbot

On July 7, 2022, the Minnesota Wild traded goaltender Cam Talbot to the Ottawa Senators in exchange for Filip Gustavsson.

2022: Special edition jersey unveiled for 2022 Winter Classic

For the 2022 Winter Classic, the Minnesota Wild unveiled a special edition jersey inspired by early Minnesota hockey teams. The jersey was primarily green with a red shoulder yoke and red and wheat stripes. The front featured the Minneapolis–Saint Paul (MPLS.–ST. PAUL) identifier around symbols: a red Minnesota state silhouette with "MN" inside, and two wheat stars. Brown gloves and pants reflected early 20th-century hockey gear.

2022: "Reverse Retro" jersey reused

In 2022, during the 2022-23 season, the "Reverse Retro" jersey design from 2020 was reused, but with green as the primary color.

September 23, 2023: Alternate green jersey unveiled

On September 23, 2023, the Minnesota Wild introduced an alternate green jersey, drawing inspiration from the "Reverse Retro" design of the previous season. The jersey featured a right shoulder patch displaying a recolored "State of Hockey" alternate logo, along with captaincy patches shaped like the Minnesota state outline. This marked the first time since 2017 that the Wild had an official alternate jersey.

2024: No Minnesota Wild members in Hockey Hall of Fame as of 2024

As of 2024, no member of the Minnesota Wild has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. However, Jacques Lemaire, a Hall of Fame member as a player (inducted in 1985), has coached the team.