The Minnesota Wild is a NHL hockey team based out of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild played its first home game in 2000 at the Xcel Energy Center, a state-of-the-art hockey arena constructed on the site of the old St. Paul Civic Center. The Minnesota Wild plays in the Northwest Division of the NHL's Western Conference.

The Minnesota Wild was announced as the team name in 1998 after the state of Minnesota was granted a NHL expansion team. The state of Minnesota considered other possible names for the Minnesota Wild, including the Minnesota Blue Ox, the Minnesota Freeze, Minnesota Northern Lights, Minnesota Voyageurs and Minnesota White Bears. The name "Minnesota Wild" was released to the chagrin of the other name's supporters, but the Minnesota Wild was eventually accepted and embraced. The Minnesota Wild is often referred to as the "Team of 18,000," a metaphor for the nightly sell-out crowds of 18,000 supporting the Wild at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Minnesota Wild chose right winger Marian Gaborik as its first ever NHL draft choice. Gaborik has been with the Wild ever since and has blossomed into the cornerstone of the Wild franchise. He is currently leading the Wild in points in the 2007-08 season.

Tthe Minnesota Wild made the playoffs for the first time in only its third NHL season. The Wild defeated the Vancouver Canucks and the Colorado Avalanches in a NHL playoff series before succumbing to the Anaheim Ducks in the Western Conference Finals.

The Wild made another playoff appearance in 2006-07, when the Wild finished the season with its best ever record and points total. The Wild played the Anaheim Ducks again in the playoffs, but this time in the first round. The Minnesota Wild could not overcome the Ducks' physical play as the Wild dropped the series 4-1. Goalie Niklas Backstrom emerged during the 2006-07 season as the Wild's best goalie. The team would trade unhappy goalie Manny Fernandez during the off-season.

The Minnesota Wild currently sits in third place in the Western Conference NHL standing through 45 games in the 2007-08 season. The Wild has a good chance of making the NHL playoffs this season despite the tough competition atop the Western Conference standings. If the Wild can win its Northwest division, it could host a home Wild playoff series at the Xcel Energy Center St Paul. A first round home series can help the Wild become real Stanley Cup contenders. Minnesota Wild tickets will be hotter than ever.

The NHL Minnesota Wild is based out of St Paul Minnesota and plays their home games on the Xcel Energy Center ice. The Minnesota Wild are part of the Northwest Division and Wild tickets can be tough to find, but local ticket brokers like www.gopherfootballtickets.com can help Minnesota hockey fans see a great game!