By: Karl Salkowski

For the first time in 11 years, the Minnesota Wild won a playoff series. Earlier this month the Minnesota Wild completed the first season of the NHL playoffs against the Dallas Stars. This win has been monumental for the Wild, as this has been their first series win out of 10 tries since 2015. Minnesota previously lost to the Dallas Stars during the first round of the playoffs in both 2016 and 2023, which makes this series win even more exciting. The Wild won the series 5-2 on April 30th in the Grand Casino Arena. 

Quinn Hughes had a massive impact on the outcome of the series as he averaged over 31 minutes per game and generated 8 points over the course of the series. Notably, he was able to clinch game 6, scoring 2 goals and 1 assist. Quinn Hughes has previously won and held multiple Canucks and NHL records for defensemen. His greatest achievement however, was winning the James Norris Memorial Trophy in 2024 as the best defenseman in the NHL. 

Jesper Wallstedt, the rookie goalie for the Wild, ended up starting the series opening game. Although he was just a rookie, he played incredible, blocking 27 shots in his playoff debut as the Minnesota Wild won the first game against the Dallas Stars. Wallstadt ended up going 4-1 that game with a 0.936 save percentage, which is very above average for a starting rookie in the playoffs. 

Ultimately, Minnesota’s defense is what won them the series. The Wild were able to hold the Stars from a 5-on-5 goal for over 250 minutes before they finally scored again in game 6. Unfazed, the Wild sprung back and scored another goal less than a minute later to tie the score. In the end, the Wild won game 6, securing the series and leading them towards one of the best playoff runs the team has had in decades. 

After winning their first series against the Dallas Stars, the Wild are set to play the Colorado Avalanche, arguably the best team in the league, in round two.