Not Done Yet

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- There's no more wondering. No more 'will they or won't they', and no more impatiently waiting for the lock; the Wild are officially a 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff team.
Despite a 4-3 shootout loss to the Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota punched their playoff ticket by virtue of the Dallas Stars defeating the Nashville Predators after the Wild earned a point Monday.

"I'm happy and proud of the guys," Marc-Andre Fleury said. "We had a tough start. We had some ups and downs during the season. But I think we have good character. Everybody stuck to the plan throughout the season. It's not easy, right? The League is so close, the parity around the League's so close that it's not easy to make it."
It's the 10th time since 2013 that Minnesota has earned a spot in postseason play. The group's latest push last year was cut short by the St. Louis Blues in Game 6 of the First Round in the Western Conference Playoffs.
But this isn't last year. And making the playoffs isn't enough.
With a handful of regular season games left, the Wild are vying for a chance to claim the top spot in the Central Division for the first time since being named division champs in 2007-08.
"It's just not a banner, right" said Fleury. "That's something. And it's fun to win.
"If we don't win (the Division) we're still in the playoffs, so we're still going for the Cup, and that's what matters. But winning's nice."
Fleury has been a member of 14 different playoff teams, including last year's Wild squad, and has lifted hockey's Holy Grail above his head on three occasions with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009, 2016 and 2017.
What about this team has him excited about the potential for a deep playoff run?
"I love the chemistry, how everybody plays for one another," Fleury noted. "I love the depth, too. I think injuries makes a difference in the series and having the depth that we have, if somebody goes down, we have somebody that can step up and fill the role, so that's a good thing, too."
With the imminent return of leading-goal scorer Kirill Kaprizov before playoffs (he practiced for the first time since his awkward collision with Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley on March 8 that has kept him out of the lineup since with a lower-body injury), and the potential of trade acquisition addition Gustav Nyquist to return from a shoulder injury, the Wild are plump with bodies ready for battle.
In its remaining regular season schedule, the Wild square off with three teams still fighting for wild card position (Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and Nashville), along with two division opponents who have been eliminated from playoff contention (St. Louis, Chicago).
Two points on the line each night closer to their first goal of a division title, followed by positioning themselves for a Cup championship.
"We're looking for that No. 1 spot," said alternate captain Marcus Foligno about the tight race in the Central Division. "Every game's important. …To be No. 1 in the Central, obviously it's a bit better of a match-up …but there's no easy route (through the playoffs). But at the same time, we want to make sure that we're winning the rest of our games and building those good habits."
The schedule for Round 1 of the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs is expected to be announced by the NHL following the conclusion of all regular season games.
Ticket availability for all 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff games at Xcel Energy Center is expected to be extremely limited due to demand and priority access given to Minnesota Wild Season Ticket Members. The best shot way to secure 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff tickets is to become part of the Season Ticket Member Community. For more information visit
tickets.wild.com
. Fans are also encouraged to join our Ticket Alert/Text notification list at
wild.com/stayconnected
, designed to help fans get last-minute tickets to Wild home games that have limited availability.
In addition, fans choosing to search for tickets are encouraged to purchase tickets through reputable websites. Our verified partner websites for tickets are
www.wild.com
and
www.ticketmaster.com
. Fans can also attempt to purchase tickets in-person at Xcel Energy Center Box Office.
A limited number of suites are also available to purchase for Minnesota Wild Stanley Cup Playoff games at Xcel Energy Center. Please contact the suite sales team at
312-3485)
or
[email protected]
to inquire about availability and pricing for Wild playoff games.
Information about special events and pregame festivities related to the playoffs will be announced soon. Official Stanley Cup Playoff merchandise is available at The Hockey Lodge and online at
hockeylodge.com
.
2023 Minnesota Wild playoff presenting partners are Xcel Energy, Treasure Island Resort and Casino, BMO and DailyPay.