Locked On Wild - Your Daily Minnesota Wild Podcast

Minnesota Wild ride elite performances from Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, extending their winning streak and igniting hopes for a strong playoff push. Can the dynamic duo maintain their scoring pace and carry the team against Western Conference heavyweights like the Colorado Avalanche? Host Seth Toupal spotlights Boldy and Kaprizov’s offensive dominance, the emergence of top prospects Jesper Wal...

Minnesota Wild catch fire in November, shutting down opponents and vaulting up the NHL standings. Has the emergence of Jesper Wallstedt between the pipes and Kirill Kaprizov’s franchise-shifting deal put the Central Division on notice?  Jack Bushman and Seth Toupal explore Wild’s transformation from October’s struggles to a dominant 9-1-1 record, fueled by a revitalized penalty kill and Matt Boldy...

Minnesota Wild gear up for a crucial roster reintegration as Marco Rossi, Ryan Hartman, and Vladimir Tarasenko eye their returns. How will Danila Yurov’s breakout impact the top-six center rotation, and can the Wild maintain chemistry with key pieces rotating in and out? Seth Toupal and Alex Micheletti weigh lineup options and debate whether Tarasenko or Liam Öhgren offers more upside in a jam-pac...

Minnesota Wild surge to 9-1-1, dominating defensively and between the pipes. Is Colorado still out of reach despite this hot streak? Seth Toupal spotlights the resurgence led by elite D pairings like Jared Spurgeon–Jake Middleton and Jonas Brodin–Brock Faber, whose stingy defense has stifled high-danger opportunities. Goaltenders Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt are outpacing expectations, bo...

The Minnesota Wild improved to 9-1-1 in their last 11 games as they blanked the New York Jets 3-0 Sunday in Winnipeg. The Wild have not trailed at any point over the last 8 games, as they grabbed a 1-0 lead on Danila Yurov's 3rd goal of the season. Brock Faber scored a shorthanded goal (his fifth) to give the Wild a 2-0 lead after 1 period. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 13th goal of the year to back...

Minnesota Wild accelerate their quest for elite center depth—can Danila Yurov and Charlie Stramel finally solve the top-six puzzle? With Marco Rossi and Ryan Hartman sidelined, Yurov’s multi-point night in the top six draws attention, but questions linger about his defensive reliability and long-term ceiling. The conversation weighs whether the Wild are still stuck relying on stopgaps instead of t...

Minnesota Wild’s injury woes hit critical mass as Danila Yurov is thrust into the top six, raising the question: Will John Hynes trust his young talent or double down on veteran minutes? Seth Toupal and Alex Micheletti size up the Wild’s struggles with 5-on-5 scoring, mounting injuries to key players like Ryan Hartman and Marco Rossi, and leadership decisions that could reshape the team’s NHL play...

Minnesota Wild’s search for a true third scoring threat intensifies as fill-ins struggle to become fixtures in the top six. Can the team keep relying on Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy, or is it time for a major shakeup? Seth Toupal breaks down the persistent gap left since the Kevin Fiala trade and questions whether current lineup solutions like Marcus Johansson and Ryan Hartman can deliver lastin...

The Minnesota Wild picked up a 3-2 Overtime win over the Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday at Grand Casino Arena. Kirill Kaprizov scored his 11th goal of the season with 9.7 seconds left in the extra session after the Wild ere awarded an OT Power Play to seal the win. The Wild also had goals from Joel Eriksson Ek and Yakov Trenin, both from in close. Vegas scored 2 Power Play goals. Filip Gustavsson...

Jesper Wallstedt's scorching hot streak continues with back-to-back shutouts, posting a microscopic .667 goals against average and .980 save percentage over his last three starts. The young netminder has stopped 98 of 100 shots, forcing a serious conversation about the Minnesota Wild's goalie hierarchy shifting from starter-backup to a true 1A-1B tandem. Host Seth Toupal breaks down Wallstedt's el...

With Marco Rossi sidelined week-to-week on injured reserve, the Minnesota Wild face critical decisions about their roster construction and young talent evaluation. GM Bill Guerin admits the organization doesn't truly know what they have in their prospects—yet continues burying players like Danila Yurov and Liam Ohgren in limited fourth-line roles.  Jessi Pierce of NHL.com joins host Seth Toupal to...

Matt Boldy is shooting harder, more often, and with deadly accuracy—putting him on pace to finally crack the 40-goal plateau in 2025-26. The Minnesota Wild forward has transformed his offensive game through increased shot volume, improved velocity, and strategic positioning that's elevating him beyond his previous ceiling. Host Seth Toupal breaks down the metrics behind Boldy's breakout start: 9 g...

The Minnesota Wild surrendered yet another game at home as they fell to the San Jose Sharks 2-1 in Overtime. The Wild fell to 7-7-4 with the loss, and 4-3-3 at home, in a game where both goalies kept the offense off the board. The Wild led on a 2nd period goal from Matt Boldy, but Will Smith scored a Power Play goal to tie the score in the 3rd, and Collin Graf scored in overtime to give the Sharks...

Jesper Wallstedt notches his second career shutout as the Minnesota Wild edge Calgary 2-0, with Matt Boldy and Kirill Kaprizov providing the offense. The 21-year-old rookie goaltender's confidence surge continues, making him just the fourth Wild netminder to record multiple shutouts as a rookie alongside Josh Harding, Darcy Kuemper, and Kaapo Kahkonen. Mats Zuccarello's return transforms the Wild'...

Mats Zuccarello's return sparks hope for the Minnesota Wild as they climb to sixth in the Central Division power rankings. The Wild secured a convincing 5-2 victory over the Islanders, with Zuccarello's chemistry with Kirill Kaprizov immediately visible and Danila Yurov contributing a goal in his return. Host Seth Toupal breaks down all eight Central Division teams, from the struggling St. Louis B...

The Minnesota Wild's two-game winning streak masks deeper problems that refuse to go away. Despite victories over Nashville and Vancouver, the team's five-on-five goal differential remains nightmarish at minus-11 through 14 games, exposing fundamental flaws in their offensive structure and roster construction. Host Seth Toupal and guest Alex Micheletti dissect the Wild's troubling pattern of incon...

The Minnesota Wild's fourth line has been a revolving door of mediocrity since trading away the Dew Brothers, with Bill Guerin cycling through over 20 players in search of an identity that once defined the team's grit. From Brandon Duhaime's explosive hits to Connor Dewar's penalty-kill prowess, the 2022-23 Wild had a fourth line that brought genuine spark—then management let both walk for budget...

The Minnesota Wild rallied to beat the Nashville Predators 3-2 in Overtime. The Wild picked up their first winning streak of the season to improve to 4-6-3 and lead 2-1 after 2 periods on goals from Kirill Kaprizov and Zeev Buium. Steven Stamkos tied the score at 2-2 with 0.3 seconds left in regulation, before absolute chaos broke out in the overtime period. Marcus Johansson brought the puck up th...

The Minnesota Wild face a critical identity crisis: they're the NHL's smallest roster trying to play a physical, grinding style. GM Bill Guerin keeps adding size and toughness at the trade deadline, while draft strategy under Judd Brackett prioritizes speed and skill in undersized packages. This organizational disconnect is creating serious problems. Host Seth Toupal breaks down the Wild's roster...

The Minnesota Wild sit at 3-9 after another home loss, and the cracks in Bill Guerin's roster construction are impossible to ignore. Coach John Hynes bristles at calling his team "fragile," yet the Wild consistently wilt under pressure, getting outscored 30-18 at home this season. Marcus Foligno admits the team has "lost how we have to play the game," while reports surface that Guerin is already s...

The Minnesota Wild fell to 3-6-3 after a 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh at Grand Casino Arena Thursday night. The Wild fell to 0-2-2 on the 6 game homestand, and let 1-0 after a goal by Kirill Kaprizov, but the Penguins scored 4 straight to take over the game in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Filip Gustavsson stopped 29 of 32 shots in net for the Wild, who face Vancouver on Saturday for their next game. Subscri...

The Minnesota Wild dropped their 4th straight game, and 2nd straight overtime loss as they fell to Winnipeg 4-3 in Overtime at Grand Casino Arena Tuesday. The Wild dropped to 3-5-3 and 1-2-2 at home, as they fell behind 2-0 in the 1st period. Kirill Kaprizov and Brock Faber scored in the 2nd period to tie the score, before Marcus Johansson gave the Wild a 3-2 lead in the 3rd. Former Wild forward N...

The Minnesota Wild's rough start to the season raises alarm bells. Defensive lapses, goaltending inconsistencies, and a lack of 5-on-5 scoring plague the team. Bill Guerin and John Hynes consult with team leaders, but is it enough? Alex Micheletti joins Seth Toupal to dissect the Wild's struggles and analyze upcoming matchups against the Jets, Penguins, and Canucks. Hosts debate the team's identit...

The Minnesota Wild's struggles continue, with three key issues plaguing their performance: poor net-front presence, excessive turnovers, and lackluster home-ice advantage. The Wild rank 5th in high-danger chances allowed and 21st in chances created, resulting in a -20 differential. Defensively, they've surrendered 9 high-danger goals in 10 games, including 4 to the San Jose Sharks. Turnovers are a...

The Minnesota Wild continued their early season struggles as they fell to San Jose 6-5 in Overtime at Grand Casino Arena Sunday. The Wild fell to 3-5-2 on the season and 1-2-1 at home as they surrendered 2 early goals to the Sharks before Marcus Johansson and Marco Rossi scored to tie things at 2-2 after 1 period. The Sharks scored two straight goals midway through the second to take a 4-2 lead be...