# Spring Cleaning – Minnesota Wild

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/spring-cleaning-minnesota-wild
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/spring-cleaning-minnesota-wild.md
Podcast: [NHL Wraparound Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916)
Published: 2026-07-22T03:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://nhl-wraparound-podcast.captivate.fm/episode/spring-cleaning-minnesota-wild
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/1b90ad0a-0532-408c-90f7-8eb0bd2c1e4b.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/nhl-wraparound-podcast-6738916/episodes/spring-cleaning-minnesota-wild
Duration seconds: 632

## Resource

Spring Cleaning – Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild took an important step forward during the 2025-26 season, finishing third in the Central Division and winning their first playoff series in 11 years. After defeating the Dallas Stars in six games, Minnesota’s run ended against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round as several major injuries weakened the lineup. Neil Smith and Vic Morren examine the impact of the Quinn Hughes trade, the emergence of Jesper Wallstedt, and the offseason decisions facing General Manager Bill Guerin as the Wild attempt to move from playoff team to legitimate Stanley Cup contender. IN THIS EPISODE: [00:00:00] The Wild finish third in the Central Division before defeating Dallas in the opening round and falling to Colorado in five games. Neil and Vic discuss how injuries to Joel Eriksson Ek, Jonas Brodin, and Zach Bogosian significantly affected Minnesota’s chances against the Avalanche. [00:00:45] Minnesota’s elimination includes a painful collapse in Game 5 after surrendering a late two-goal lead. Despite the disappointment, Neil believes the season represented meaningful progress for an organization that had not advanced beyond the first round in more than a decade. [00:01:00] The panel revisits the modest expectations surrounding the Wild entering the season. A quiet 2025 offseason featured the acquisition of Vladimir Tarasenko and the signing of Nico Sturm, while the organization continued carrying a reduced salary-cap penalty from the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts. [00:02:00] Kirill Kaprizov’s massive contract extension becomes one of the season’s defining stories. His new deal begins next season at $17 million annually, placing him among the highest-paid players in NHL history and increasing the pressure on Minnesota to build…

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## Transcript

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