Minnesota Wild Team Stats, Odds, Standings and Schedule for 2023-24 NHL Season

Minnesota Wild Last Season Performance

The Wild were rolling along with a good chance to win the Central Division title in 2022-23 before winning just two of their last seven games of the regular season (2-3-2) and finishing third.

Minnesota won two of the first three games in the first-round series against Dallas but scored just three times combined while losing the last three to end the season and extend their playoff losing streak to seven series.

The Wild were sixth in the league in goals-against, led by their strong goaltending duo of Filip Gustavsson (22-9-7, .931 save percentage) and Marc-Andre Fleury (24-16-4, .908 SP). But they were 23rd in scoring (2.91 per game).

Russian dynamo Kirill Kaprizov led the team with 75 points in just 67 games. Matt Boldy emerged with 31 goals – second only to Kaprizov’s 40.

Offseason Changes

Key Additions

The Wild, saddled with almost $15 million in dead cap space due to buyouts, did not have much to spend in the offseason.

But Minnesota traded for fourth-line banger Pat Maroon, who has been to the Stanley Cup Final in four of the last five seasons – winning three (two with Tampa Bay and one with St. Louis). Maroon adds experience, a presence on the power play and character in the locker room.

The Wild also signed veteran forwards Jujhar Khiara and Vinni Lettieri, but youngsters Sammy Walker and Marco Rossi could make impacts up front as well.

Defenseman Brock Faber, who arrived from the University of Minnesota during the final two games of the regular season, will also be around full-time and probably in the top four.

Key Subtractions

The Wild let four forwards and two defensemen go in free agency, but they all combined for just 25 goals.

Forward Sam Steel had 10 of those goals and defenseman Matt Dumba will be missed, but most of the others were just deadline pickups. Dumba spent 10 seasons with the Wild, scoring 79 goals in 598 games.

Minnesota Wild Head Coach Analysis

Dean Evason played 803 games in his NHL career and has had success anywhere he has been as a coach.

The 59-year-old is 142-67-23 with Minnesota, leading the Wild to four straight playoff appearances in his four seasons at the helm.

Before then, Evason won 242 games in six seasons with Milwaukee of the AHL and 216 in the same span with Kamloops of the WHL. But another playoff disappointment could put Evason on the hot seat.

Minnesota Wild Prediction for the 2023-24 Season

When April began last season, it would not have been a wild bet to pick Minnesota to win the Stanley Cup after losing just once in regulation over the previous 21 contests (16-1-4).

But the Wild lost their mojo and must get that level back to contend in a difficult division. Minnesota has a solid lineup, a capable defense and a strong duo in net if Gustavsson can match his 2022-23 numbers and Fleury (544 wins, 985 NHL games) finds the Fountain of Youth at 38.

Kaprizov – +1600 to win the Hart Trophy in the Las Vegas hockey odds – has support up front with Mats Zuccarello, Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek, who all had at least 60 points in 22-23. More scoring depth is needed.

Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brolin, Jacob Middleton, Alex Goligoski and Faber lead a defense that should help under bets at the sportsbook.

Minnesota is +1400 to win the Western Conference and +3300 to win the Cup in the live betting. We think the Wild are worth a small bet at big numbers.

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