2007 Minnesota Wild

Even as we say “Congratulations” to the Detroit Red Wings, winners of the 2008 Stanley Cup, we want to say a big “Thank you” to the Minnesota Wild, winners of the Northwest Division, for the impressive season they had!

The Minnesota Wild finished the 2006-07 season in 2nd place in the Northwest Division, but were knocked out by Stanley Cup winners the Anaheim Ducks in the first round of the playoffs. GM Doug Risebrough is determined to make the 2007-08 season better, so he got rid of the now obsolete Manny Fernandez to make room for Petr Kalus and Sean Hill and re-signed Mikko Koivu, Martin Skoula and Niklas Backstrom. All these changes put the Wild in an excellent position to take home the division title and maybe even make a run at the Stanley Cup. All the team needs now are supportive fans to cheer them on, so get your tickets to Xcel Energy Center and watch the Minnesota Wild rule the ice!

The Wild are not the first NHL team to play in Minnesota. The Minnesota North Stars played there from 1967 until 1993, when owner Norm Green moved the team to Dallas, Texas, and renamed it the Stars. Soon after the North Stars departed, a group of Minnesota investors began searching for a new team. On June 25, 1997, the NHL officially awarded expansion team franchises to Minnesota; Atlanta, Georgia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Columbus, Ohio.

Businessman Bob Naegele, Jr., who is associated with the in-line skate manufacturer Rollerblade, Inc., was the Wild's lead investor and was most closely involved in bringing the team to Minnesota. He heads Minnesota Hockey Ventures, the company that owns the Wild. The Wild's first season in the NHL was the 2000-01 campaign. Before the season the team filled its roster by selecting players in a series of drafts.

The Wild play their home games at the Xcel Energy Center, in St. Paul, which also serves as the venue for top-echelon concerts featuring stars like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and Tim McGraw. Coast to Coast is happy to offer a great selection of tickets to concerts and sports in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and coast to coast!