Minnesota Wild vs Vegas Pregame

It took all 82 games, a last-minute goal from Joel Eriksson Ek, and an OT winner from Matt Boldy, but the Wild are officially in. This issue breaks down how the Wild punched their ticket, Marc-Andre Fleury’s surprise final regular-season appearance, and what to expect in Game 1 against the Golden Knights. Plus: full projected lineup, key takeaways, and why this might be the most dangerous version of the Wild we’ve seen all year.

Author

Michael Scott
April 20, 2025

🏒 GAME TONIGHT🏒
🚨 Puck drops at 7:00 PM
📍@Home

🚨 Stop in at The Apostle Supper Club to watch the game!

🌟 Wild Hockey Insider Projected Lineup:
• Line 1: Kaprizov - Eriksson Ek - Boldy
• Line 2: Johansson - Gaudreau - Zuccarello
• Line 3: Foligno - Rossi - Nyquist
• Line 4: Trenin - Hartman - Brazeau

• Def 1: Brodin - Faber
• Def 2: Middleton - Spurgeon
• Def 3: Buium - Bogosian

• In Net: Gustavsson  🥅
• Backups: Fleury

Injured: None
Scratched: Jon Merrill, Declan Chisholm, Vincent Hinostroz, Devon Shore, Jesper Wallstedt

👀 Things to Watch: Wild vs. Golden Knights (Game 1)

🔥 Zeev’s Big Debut – 19-year-old Zeev Buium will make his highly anticipated NHL debut in Game 1. The dynamic defenseman is expected to bring energy, offense, and a bit of flash to Minnesota’s blue line.

🏒 Kaprizov vs. Eichel – Two of the league’s best go head-to-head. Kaprizov had two goals in the regular season vs. Vegas, while Eichel posted 5 points (3G, 2A) in three games against Minnesota.

🧱 Special Teams Battle – The Wild’s penalty kill (72.1%) will be tested by a Vegas power play clicking at 25.3%. Both teams went 0-for on the man advantage in their final regular season games.

🎯 Goaltending Spotlight – Gustavsson (22-14-7, .899 SV%) starts for Minnesota, while Logan Thompson (.908 SV%) likely goes for Vegas. Expect tight play and big saves early.

🧊 Fleury Factor – If the game gets lopsided or emotional, don’t rule out a Fleury appearance in Vegas.

📈 Momentum Matters – Minnesota enters Game 1 winning four of their last five. Vegas has dropped four of their last six. Watch the Wild try to steal Game 1 and flip home-ice early.

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Affiliates

ScheelsFanaticsThe Apostle Supper Club
NHL ShopSouthwest AirlinesQuantum Fiber

Thanks to our partners. To support Wild Hockey Insider, support them!*

*Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them.

RATE TODAY’S EDITION

What'd you think of today's edition?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

🤔 What can we do better?

Reply to this email with any feedback or suggestions. We’re always looking to improve!

Reply

or to participate.