The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL).
The team was founded in 2000, becoming the first NHL franchise in Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars moved to Dallas. They lost their first ever game 3–1 against the Anaheim Ducks and recorded their first win against the Tampa Bay Lightning five games later. The Wild have played at the Xcel Energy Center since being founded. In the 2002–03 NHL season, the team made its first playoff appearance, and made a surprising run to the Western Conference Finals where they were swept by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Minnesota has two minor league affiliates, the Houston Aeros and Johnstown Chiefs.
