Minnesota sits in third place in the Central Division with 14 games left, six points behind the Dallas Stars, whom they will face twice before the regular season ends. But recent form has dipped, especially against teams outside the playoff picture, while Colorado and Dallas continue to collect points.
The Wild have dropped three straight, falling in a shootout to Philadelphia and in regulation to the New York Rangers and Toronto. They trailed early in each game — 1-0 to the Flyers, 2-0 to the Rangers, and 3-0 to the Maple Leafs — highlighting slow starts. Next up is a visit to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday at United Center.
Challenges Ahead for the Minnesota Wild
Former NHL coach Craig Johnson, assessing Minnesota’s play, pointed to problems with puck management and a tendency to stay on the perimeter. He believes the Wild need more traffic at the net, more tips, and more looks from the slot to jump-start their offense. He also noted sloppy details, including poor line changes that led to chances in a March 8 game at Colorado — a 3-2 shootout loss — and a too-many-men penalty late against Philadelphia.
The grind of the schedule is real, but the message is to tighten structure and commit to a direct, north-south style. With potential first-round opponents likely to be Dallas or Colorado, turnovers will be punished. The remaining games against the Stars should serve as useful yardsticks for how Minnesota stacks up.
Johnson’s read of the numbers: the Wild are a good team with strong goaltending, but they’re not generating enough off the forecheck or producing enough shot volume. Perimeter play has led to overpassing instead of putting pucks on net. When Minnesota leans into a heavy, grinding forecheck, it forces mistakes and creates offense — the kind of game that will be needed to pressure Dallas or Colorado.
The priority over the final stretch is sharpening their own game rather than looking ahead. Minnesota needs to rediscover its identity now to give itself a chance in the opening round.