Locked On Wild - Your Daily Minnesota Wild Podcast

Minnesota Wild overpower Dallas Stars with physicality and relentless effort—can they seize their first-ever 2-0 postseason series lead? Seth Toupal breaks down the Wild’s dominant 6-1 Game 1 win, spotlighting crucial performances from Joel Eriksson Ek, Kirill Kaprizov, and Jake Oettinger’s struggles in net. Key topics include Minnesota’s 49 hits setting the tone, a surge in high-danger goals, and...

The Minnesota Wild opened their first-round playoff series in dominant fashion, rolling to a 6–1 win over the Dallas Stars in Game 1. Minnesota set the tone early with a power-play goal from Joel Eriksson Ek, then blew the game open with three goals in the second period from Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, and Matt Boldy to take a commanding 4–0 lead. Dallas briefly got on the board late in the sec...

Minnesota Wild brace for a high-stakes showdown with the Dallas Stars as playoff intensity ramps up. Can Jake Oettinger continue his dominance, or will playoff standout Ryan Hartman and breakout star Matt Boldy ignite Minnesota’s offense? Seth Toupal, Jayden Homuth, and Alex Micheletti dissect the crucial matchups—face-off battles, special teams, and the Wild’s depth at center—that could tip the b...

Minnesota Wild look to reverse their playoff curse—can they finally close out a series against the Dallas Stars? Seth Toupal (Locked On Wild) and Joey Erickson (Locked On Stars) preview the highly anticipated Stanley Cup Playoffs rematch, spotlighting key injuries to Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz, and the surging confidence of stars like Jason Robertson and Maverick Bourque. The Wild’s new edge i...

Minnesota Wild gear up to face the Dallas Stars with newfound grit and high-end talent—could this be the edge they need for a playoff breakthrough? Seth Toupal spotlights the Wild’s transformation, highlighting Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy’s explosive production and the dynamic addition of Quinn Hughes. Enhanced offensive depth, key performances from Vladimir Tarasenko and Ryan Hartman, and a re...

In this episode of Locked on Wild , Filip Gustavsson’s late-season struggles take center stage as concerns grow ahead of a playoff matchup with the Dallas Stars. Host Seth Toupal highlights alarming trends over Gustavsson’s last 10 starts, including declining save percentages and a noticeable increase in goals allowed—particularly from medium- and high-danger scoring areas. While some goals have c...

The Minnesota Wild closed out the regular season with a 3-2 win over the Anaheim Ducks Tuesday night at Grand Casino Arena. The Wild finish the regular season 46-24-12, and got goals from Danila Yurov, Hunter Haight and Robby Fabbri to back Jesper Wallstedt, who was fantastic with 34 saves on 36 shots against. The Wild rested most of their regulars in anticipation of their opening round series aga...

Minnesota Wild prioritize rest over risk as the postseason looms, sitting key players like Jared Spurgeon and Joel Eriksson Ek for their final two regular season games. Is this the spark they need to outlast the banged-up Dallas Stars in the first round? Seth Toupal and Alex Micheletti debate the high-stakes goaltending decision between Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt, with playoff history a...

The Dallas Stars rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Minnesota Wild 5-4 and likely lock up the 2 seed in the Western Conference playoff race. The Wild took an early 3-1 lead on two goals from Kirill Kaprizov and a goal from Quinn Hughes, but the Stars rallied to take advantage of Filip Gustavsson's off night as they stormed back to take the lead on Jason Robertson's 3rd period goal. The Wild we...

Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars face off in a high-stakes battle for the No. 2 seed—setting the stage for a heated first-round playoff showdown. Can Wyatt Johnston’s breakout season and the Stars’ offensive depth outpace Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, and a revitalized Wild lineup featuring Quinn Hughes? Health updates on key players, including Roope Hintz and Michael Bunting, could tip the scales f...

Minnesota Wild overpower Seattle Kraken as secondary scoring surges—can this newfound depth fuel a playoff run against the Dallas Stars? Seth Toupal spotlights crucial performances from Matt Boldy, Marcus Foligno, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Marcus Johansson, dissecting how strong contributions beyond the top line are giving the Wild a dangerous scoring edge. Key topics include Vladimir Tarasenko's re...

Minnesota Wild surge in the playoff race as Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy rediscover their scoring touch, but it’s playoff-mode Ryan Hartman who could prove the difference. After gritty regulation wins against the Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings, the Wild show renewed killer instinct and resilience, shaking off blown leads and capitalizing on power plays when it matters most. Host Seth Toup...

The Minnesota Wild officially clinched a postseason berth with a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena. The Wild improved to 42-21-12 with the win, and overcame a 2-1 deficit with 4 unanswered goals in the second and third periods. Matt Boldy scored his 39th and 40th goals, Kirill Kaprizov added his 40th goal, Ryan Hartman scored twice to back Filip Gustavsson, wh...

Minnesota Wild gear up for a formidable playoff path as Pacific Division rivals stumble with shaky goaltending and defensive woes. Can the youth surge of Utah Mammoth and San Jose Sharks disrupt expectations, or will proven powerhouse Colorado Avalanche remain untouchable? Host Seth Toupal analyzes how John Carlson’s arrival impacts Anaheim Ducks’ porous blue line, questions whether Connor McDavid...

Minnesota Wild’s playoff future hangs in the balance as John Hynes’ contract extension becomes a hot topic. Should regular season success be enough, or does Hynes need to finally lead the Wild past the first round? Seth Toupal and Alex Micheletti question if Hynes is truly moving the needle or simply meeting expectations with the current roster. The episode also spotlights the importance of postse...

Minnesota Wild’s playoff hopes hang in the balance after a sluggish March, with missed high-danger chances and slow starts threatening their postseason run. Can Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy rediscover their scoring form in time to spark a turnaround? Host Seth Toupal spotlights the Wild’s troubling 5-on-5 scoring drought, wasted rebound opportunities, and the urgent need for early leads. He diss...

Minnesota Wild offense sputters as Vladimir Tarasenko stakes his claim for a permanent second-line role—will this spark the turnaround they desperately need? Seth Toupal explores the team’s persistent scoring slump in March, pinpointing Marcus Johansson’s fading production and contrasting it with Tarasenko’s surging numbers and shooter’s instinct. Does Tarasenko give Matt Boldy and Joel Eriksson E...

Minnesota Wild face tough lineup decisions as Marcus Foligno nears his return. Who will be the odd man out, and could veterans like Nick Foligno or Marcus Johansson see their roles change during the playoff push? Seth Toupal and Alex Micheletti debate the impact of Bobby Brink's scoring, Michael McCarron’s physical presence, and how recent additions have shifted the Wild’s depth dynamics. The disc...

The Minnesota Wild dropped their first game of a 3 game East Coast road trip as they fell 6-3 to the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday in Tampa. The Wild led 2-0 on goals from Mats Zuccarello and Brock Faber, and after the Lightning cut the lead in half, Vladimir Tarasenko made it 3-1 with his 21st goal of the season. But the Lightning took advantage of a rough end of the game for Filip Gustavsson as th...

The Minnesota hockey community mourns the loss of NHL.com reporter Jessi Pierce, who passed away in a house fire on Saturday that also took the lives of her 3 children and family dog. Jessi was a vibrant, energetic and enthusiastic part of Minnesota Wild media, but beyond that she was an incredible mom, a great friend and an even better person. She will be sorely missed by many.  If you would like...

The Minnesota Wild picked up a 2-1 Overtime win over the Dallas Stars as they honored Jared Spurgeon for eclipsing the 1,000 career games played mark at Grand Casino Arena. Bobby Brink and Vladimir Tarasenko scored for the Wild to back Filip Gustavsson, who stopped 28 of 29 shots. The Wild Penalty Kill went 4/5, including a double minor late in the 3rd period with the game tied at 1. Tarasenko sco...

Minnesota Wild gear up for a high-stakes showdown with the Chicago Blackhawks as Quinn Hughes transforms the Wild’s offensive threat and pushes them into elite company. Can Nick Foligno’s arrival and the gritty additions give Minnesota the edge in a potential Central Division playoff war, or will Spencer Knight’s breakout season steal the headlines for Chicago? Seth Toupal and Jack Bushman analyze...

Minnesota Wild struggle against non-playoff teams, raising questions about their playoff readiness. Are slow starts and cold secondary scoring threatening their postseason hopes? Seth Toupal examines the Wild’s alarming trend of playing down to inferior opponents, reflected in recent losses to the Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Key insights include Marcus Johansson...

The Minnesota Wild fell at Grand Casino Arena 3-2 in a shootout to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. The Wild fell to 38-26-12 as they came up empty in the shootout against a scrappy Flyers team, after blowing a 2-1 lead in the 3rd period. Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy scored for the Wild, who survived 2 different overtime Power Plays, but Travis Konecny sent the Flyers to a win with the...

Minnesota Wild crush Utah Mammoth with ruthless physicality as Michael McCarron, Yakov Trenin, and Nick Foligno anchor the new “bouncer line.” Can this intimidating fourth line set the tone for a deep playoff push? Bill Guerin’s trade deadline moves paid immediate dividends, transforming the Wild’s physical presence and creating match-up nightmares for opposing teams. Seth Toupal spotlights the te...