The Minnesota Wild have come in as the surprise team of the young season. They have done so well that they have overtaken the top of the NHL standings from the Winnipeg Jets. They did so with a 4-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks last night, their fourth straight win.
Wild soar to the top of the NHL
Minnesota is a complete team capable of doing more damage than they already have. This season, they are 17-4-4 for 38 points and are outscoring opponents 80-58. Minnesota is 7-3-1 at home but 10-1-3 on the road. The Wild are 7-2-1 in their last ten games.
So how are they doing it?
Superstar Kirill Kaprizov is firing on all cylinders. He has a league-leading 39 points this season on 16 goals and 23 assists, is a +19, and has five points in his last five games. He is one of nine Wild players to have 10+ points this season as Minnesota continues to play as a solid unit.
Goaltender Fillip Gustavsson is on top of the goaltending world and leads all goalies with a 2.04 goals-against-average. He has teamed with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury to form one of the best tandems in the league. Gustavsson is 12-4-3 with a 2.04 goals-against-average and a .929 save percentage, leading the league. He is well on his way to a career-high in wins, which he set in 2022-23 with 22.
The Wild have been dominant in many areas of the season so far. They are 12th in the league with 80 goals scored, lead the league with only 58 goals allowed, 12th with 3.20 goals scored per game, and are first in goals against with a 2.32 average.
Minnesota's defense could improve with the recent acquisition of promising young defenseman David Jiricek. He was acquired with a 2025 fifth-round pick from the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman Daemon Hunt, a first-round pick in 2025 (top-five protected), a third-round pick in 2026, a fourth-round pick in 2026, and a second-round pick in 2027. Jiricek could be a solid depth defenseman who can play in all situations.
The forwards are clicking, and they have the league's leading scorer. The defense is solid on all three pairings, and they just acquired a future stud defenseman. The goaltending tandem has never been better. Minnesota is riding a hot streak and is the best in the league. There are no signs of them slowing down anytime soon. The Wild have no flaws and are the most dangerous team in the league.