2019–20 Minnesota Wild season

The 2019–20 Minnesota Wild season was the 20th season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 25, 1997.[1]

2019–20 Minnesota Wild
Division	6th Central
Conference	10th Western
2019–20 record	35–27–7
Home record	19–11–5
Road record	16–16–2
Goals for	220
Goals against	220
Team information
General manager	Bill Guerin
Coach	Bruce Boudreau (Oct. 3 – Feb. 14) Dean Evason (Feb. 14 – Aug.)
Captain	Mikko Koivu
Alternate captains	Zach Parise Ryan Suter
Arena	Xcel Energy Center
Minor league affiliate(s)	Iowa Wild (AHL) Allen Americans (ECHL)
Team leaders
Goals	Zach Parise (25)
Assists	Ryan Suter (40)
Points	Kevin Fiala (54)
Penalty minutes	Ryan Hartman (69)
Plus/minus	Carson Soucy (+16)
Wins	Alex Stalock (20)
Goals against average	Alex Stalock (2.67)

The season was suspended by the league officials on March 12, 2020, after several other professional and collegiate sports organizations followed suit as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3] On May 26, the NHL regular season was officially declared over with the remaining games being cancelled.[4] The Wild returned to the playoffs after missing them in the 2018–19 season and faced the Vancouver Canucks in the qualifying round, losing in four games.

Standings

Divisional standings

Central Division

Pos	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	RW	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	St. Louis Blues	71	42	19	10	33	225	193	+32	94
2	Colorado Avalanche	70	42	20	8	37	237	191	+46	92
3	Dallas Stars	69	37	24	8	26	180	177	+3	82
4	Winnipeg Jets	71	37	28	6	30	216	203	+13	80
5	Nashville Predators	69	35	26	8	28	215	217	−2	78
6	Minnesota Wild	69	35	27	7	30	220	220	0	77
7	Chicago Blackhawks	70	32	30	8	23	212	218	−6	72

Source: National Hockey League[5]

Western Conference

Pos	Team	GP	W	L	OTL	RW	GF	GA	GD	PCT	Qualification
1	St. Louis Blues	71	42	19	10	33	225	193	+32	.662	Advance to Seeding round-robin tournament[6]
2	Colorado Avalanche	70	42	20	8	37	237	191	+46	.657
3	Vegas Golden Knights	71	39	24	8	30	227	211	+16	.606
4	Dallas Stars	69	37	24	8	26	180	177	+3	.594
5	Edmonton Oilers	71	37	25	9	31	225	217	+8	.585	Advance to 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs qualifying round[6]
6	Nashville Predators	69	35	26	8	28	215	217	−2	.565
7	Vancouver Canucks	69	36	27	6	27	228	217	+11	.565
8	Calgary Flames	70	36	27	7	25	210	215	−5	.564
9	Winnipeg Jets	71	37	28	6	30	216	203	+13	.563
10	Minnesota Wild	69	35	27	7	30	220	220	0	.558
11	Arizona Coyotes	70	33	29	8	26	195	187	+8	.529
12	Chicago Blackhawks	70	32	30	8	23	212	218	−6	.514
13	Anaheim Ducks	71	29	33	9	20	187	226	−39	.472
14	Los Angeles Kings	70	29	35	6	21	178	212	−34	.457
15	San Jose Sharks	70	29	36	5	22	182	226	−44	.450

Source: NHL Western Conference Points percentage

Tiebreaking procedures

1. Fewer number of games played (only used during regular season).
2. Greater number of regulation wins (denoted by RW).
3. Greater amount of wins in regulation and overtime (excluding shootout wins; denoted by ROW).
4. Greater amount of total wins (including shootouts).
5. Greater number of points earned in head-to-head play; if teams played an uneven number of head-to-head games, the result of the first game on the home ice of the team with the extra home game is discarded.
6. Greater goal differential (difference between goals for and goals against).
7. Greater amount of goals scored (denoted by GF).

Schedule and results

Preseason

The preseason schedule was published on June 13, 2019.[7]

2019 preseason game log: 2–1–3 (Home: 1–0–2 ; Road: 1–1–1)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 17	Dallas	2–1	Minnesota	OT	Stalock	13,537	0–0–1	Recap
2	September 18	Minnesota	1–4	Winnipeg		Kahkonen	15,321	0–1–1	Recap
3	September 21	Colorado	3–4	Minnesota		Dubnyk	16,833	1–1–1	Recap
4	September 22	Minnesota	2–3	Colorado	SO	Stalock	—	1–1–2	Recap
5	September 26	Minnesota	2–1	Dallas		Dubnyk	12,036	2–1–2	Recap
6	September 29	Winnipeg	5–4	Minnesota	OT	Dubnyk	17,017	2–1–3	Recap

Regular season

The regular season schedule was published on June 25, 2019.[8]

2019–20 game log: 35–27–7 (Home: 19–11–5; Away: 16–16–2)
October: 4–9–0 (Home: 3–1–0 ; Road: 1–8–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 3 Minnesota 2–5 Nashville Dubnyk 17,455 0–1–0 0 Recap 2 October 5 Minnesota 2–4 Colorado Dubnyk 17,090 0–2–0 0 Recap 3 October 10 Minnesota 2–5 Winnipeg Dubnyk 15,325 0–3–0 0 Recap 4 October 12 Pittsburgh 7–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,157 0–4–0 0 Recap 5 October 14 Minnesota 2–0 Ottawa Stalock 11,500 1–4–0 2 Recap 6 October 15 Minnesota 2–4 Toronto Dubnyk 19,149 1–5–0 2 Recap 7 October 17 Minnesota 0–4 Montreal Stalock 20,419 1–6–0 2 Recap 8 October 20 Montreal 3–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,344 2–6–0 4 Recap 9 October 22 Edmonton 0–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,189 3–6–0 6 Recap 10 October 24 Minnesota 0–4 Nashville Stalock 17,386 3–7–0 6 Recap 11 October 26 Los Angeles 1–5 Minnesota Stalock 17,444 4–7–0 8 Recap 12 October 29 Minnesota 3–6 Dallas Stalock 17,756 4–8–0 8 Recap 13 October 30 Minnesota 1–2 St. Louis Dubnyk 18,096 4–9–0 8 Recap
November: 7–2–4 (Home: 3–0–2 ; Road: 4–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 14 November 2 St. Louis 4–3 Minnesota OT Dubnyk 18,208 4–9–1 9 Recap 15 November 5 Minnesota 4–2 Anaheim Stalock 15,526 5–9–1 11 Recap 16 November 7 Minnesota 5–6 San Jose Dubnyk 15,764 5–10–1 11 Recap 17 November 9 Minnesota 4–3 Arizona Dubnyk 14,428 6–10–1 13 Recap 18 November 12 Minnesota 1–3 Los Angeles Dubnyk 16,099 6–11–1 13 Recap 19 November 14 Arizona 2–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,079 7–11–1 15 Recap 20 November 16 Carolina 4–3 Minnesota OT Dubnyk 17,101 7–11–2 16 Recap 21 November 19 Minnesota 4–1 Buffalo Stalock 15,522 8–11–2 18 Recap 22 November 21 Colorado 2–3 Minnesota Stalock 17,574 9–11–2 20 Recap 23 November 23 Minnesota 4–5 Boston OT Stalock 17,850 9–11–3 21 Recap 24 November 25 Minnesota 2–3 NY Rangers OT Stalock 18,006 9–11–4 22 Recap 25 November 26 Minnesota 3–2 New Jersey Kähkönen 14,627 10–11–4 24 Recap 26 November 29 Ottawa 2–7 Minnesota Stalock 17,112 11–11–4 26 Recap
December: 8–6–1 (Home: 4–3–1 ; Road: 4–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 27 December 1 Dallas 2–3 Minnesota SO Stalock 17,096 12–11–4 28 Recap 28 December 3 Minnesota 4–2 Florida Kähkönen 10,167 13–11–4 30 Recap 29 December 5 Minnesota 5–4 Tampa Bay Stalock 19,092 14–11–4 32 Recap 30 December 7 Minnesota 2–6 Carolina Stalock 18,680 14–12–4 32 Recap 31 December 10 Anaheim 3–2 Minnesota SO Kähkönen 17,154 14–12–5 33 Recap 32 December 12 Edmonton 5–6 Minnesota Kähkönen 17,271 15–12–5 35 Recap 33 December 14 Philadelphia 1–4 Minnesota Stalock 17,140 16–12–5 37 Recap 34 December 15 Minnesota 3–5 Chicago Kähkönen 21,513 16–13–5 37 Recap 35 December 17 Minnesota 2–3 Vegas Stalock 18,220 16–14–5 37 Recap 36 December 19 Minnesota 8–5 Arizona Dubnyk 15,582 17–14–5 39 Recap 37 December 21 Winnipeg 6–0 Minnesota Stalock 17,319 17–15–5 39 Recap 38 December 23 Calgary 0–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,596 18–15–5 41 Recap 39 December 27 Minnesota 6–4 Colorado Dubnyk 18,146 19–15–5 43 Recap 40 December 29 NY Islanders 3–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,506 19–16–5 43 Recap 41 December 31 Toronto 4–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 18,164 19–17–5 43 Recap
January: 4–4–1 (Home: 4–2–1 ; Road: 0–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 42 January 4 Winnipeg 2–3 Minnesota OT Dubnyk 17,271 20–17–5 45 Recap 43 January 5 Calgary 5–4 Minnesota SO Stalock 17,204 20–17–6 46 Recap 44 January 9 Minnesota 1–2 Calgary Stalock 18,634 20–18–6 46 Recap 45 January 12 Vancouver 4–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,348 20–19–6 46 Recap 46 January 14 Minnesota 3–7 Pittsburgh Dubnyk 18,545 20–20–6 46 Recap 47 January 16 Tampa Bay 2–3 Minnesota Stalock 17,305 21–20–6 48 Recap 48 January 18 Dallas 0–7 Minnesota Stalock 18,219 22–20–6 50 Recap 49 January 20 Florida 5–4 Minnesota Stalock 17,255 22–21–6 50 Recap 50 January 22 Detroit 2–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,212 23–21–6 52 Recap
February: 9–4–1 (Home: 4–4–1 ; Road: 5–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 51 February 1 Boston 6–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 18,009 23–22–6 52 Recap 52 February 4 Chicago 2–3 Minnesota OT Stalock 17,341 24–22–6 54 Recap 53 February 6 Vancouver 2–4 Minnesota Stalock 17,191 25–22–6 56 Recap 54 February 7 Minnesota 3–2 Dallas Dubnyk 18,532 26–22–6 58 Recap 55 February 9 Colorado 3–2 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,444 26–23–6 58 Recap 56 February 11 Vegas 0–4 Minnesota Stalock 17,112 27–23–6 60 Recap 57 February 13 NY Rangers 4–3 Minnesota SO Stalock 17,413 27–23–7 61 Recap 58 February 15 San Jose 2–0 Minnesota Stalock 18,611 27–24–7 61 Recap 59 February 19 Minnesota 4–3 Vancouver SO Dubnyk 18,871 28–24–7 63 Recap 60 February 21 Minnesota 5–3 Edmonton Stalock 17,055 29–24–7 65 Recap 61 February 23 St. Louis 4–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 17,266 29–25–7 65 Recap 62 February 25 Columbus 4–5 Minnesota Stalock 17,057 30–25–7 67 Recap 63 February 27 Minnesota 7–1 Detroit Stalock 17,663 31–25–7 69 Recap 64 February 28 Minnesota 5–0 Columbus Stalock 18,955 32–25–7 71 Recap
March: 3–2–0 (Home: 1–1–0 ; Road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 65 March 1 Washington 4–3 Minnesota Stalock 17,388 32–26–7 71 Recap 66 March 3 Nashville 1–3 Minnesota Stalock 17,242 33–26–7 73 Recap 67 March 5 Minnesota 3–2 San Jose Stalock 14,517 34–26–7 75 Recap 68 March 7 Minnesota 3–7 Los Angeles Stalock 16,082 34–27–7 75 Recap 69 March 8 Minnesota 5–4 Anaheim OT Dubnyk 15,948 35–27–7 77 Recap
Cancelled games # Date Visitor Home 70 March 12 Vegas Minnesota 71 March 14 Minnesota Philadelphia 72 March 15 Nashville Minnesota 73 March 17 Chicago Minnesota 74 March 19 Minnesota Chicago 75 March 20 Minnesota Winnipeg 76 March 23 Colorado Minnesota 77 March 26 New Jersey Minnesota 78 March 28 Buffalo Minnesota 79 March 29 Minnesota St. Louis 80 March 31 Minnesota NY Islanders 81 April 2 Minnesota Washington 82 April 4 Minnesota Nashville
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Playoffs

The Wild were defeated by the Vancouver Canucks in the qualifying round in four games.[9]

2020 Stanley Cup playoffs
Western Conference Qualifying Round vs. (7) Vancouver Canucks: Vancouver won 3–1 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Series Recap 1 August 2 Minnesota 3–0 Vancouver Stalock 1–0 Recap 2 August 4 Minnesota 3–4 Vancouver Stalock 1–1 Recap 3 August 6 Vancouver 3–0 Minnesota Stalock 1–2 Recap 4 August 7 Vancouver 5–4 Minnesota OT Stalock 1–3 Recap
Legend:   Win   Loss

Player statistics

Skaters

Regular season[10] Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM Kevin Fiala 64 23 31 54 −1 42 Ryan Suter 69 8 40 48 −6 12 Eric Staal 66 19 28 47 −9 28 Zach Parise 69 25 21 46 −11 8 Mats Zuccarello 65 15 22 37 −9 18 Jared Spurgeon 62 12 20 32 −1 18 Luke Kunin 63 15 16 31 −10 55 Jason Zucker^‡ 45 14 15 29 −3 19 Joel Eriksson Ek 62 8 21 29 7 22 Jordan Greenway 67 8 20 28 2 54 Jonas Brodin 69 2 26 28 15 24 Marcus Foligno 59 11 14 25 8 30 Mathew Dumba 69 6 18 24 −7 41 Ryan Donato 62 14 9 23 5 12 Mikko Koivu 55 4 17 21 2 28 Ryan Hartman 69 9 11 20 4 69 Brad Hunt 59 8 11 19 −7 6 Carson Soucy 55 7 7 14 16 18 Victor Rask 43 5 8 13 7 6 Alex Galchenyuk^† 14 3 4 7 2 6 Greg Pateryn 20 0 3 3 1 6 Gerald Mayhew 13 2 0 2 4 2 Nico Sturm 6 0 2 2 2 0 Brennan Menell 5 0 0 0 1 2 Nick Seeler 6 0 0 0 −6 8 Gabriel Dumont 3 0 0 0 −1 0 Luke Johnson 3 0 0 0 −3 0

Playoffs[11] Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM Eric Staal 4 1 4 5 0 2 Kevin Fiala 4 3 1 4 1 10 Jared Spurgeon 4 2 2 4 −1 4 Zach Parise 4 0 3 3 2 2 Luke Kunin 4 2 0 2 0 2 Jonas Brodin 4 0 2 2 1 0 Nico Sturm 2 1 0 1 −1 0 Joel Eriksson Ek 4 1 0 1 1 2 Ryan Suter 3 0 1 1 1 0 Marcus Foligno 4 0 1 1 −2 5 Mats Zuccarello 4 0 1 1 −1 0 Mathew Dumba 4 0 1 1 1 2 Matt Bartkowski 1 0 0 0 0 0 Jordan Greenway 4 0 0 0 −1 8 Ryan Hartman 4 0 0 0 0 9 Carson Soucy 4 0 0 0 −3 0 Alex Galchenyuk 4 0 0 0 −2 4 Brad Hunt 4 0 0 0 −1 2 Mikko Koivu 4 0 0 0 0 6 Ryan Donato 2 0 0 0 1 2

Goaltenders

Regular season[12]

Player	GP	GS	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	GAA	SA	SV%	SO	G	A	PIM
Alex Stalock	38	36	2,177:21	20	11	4	97	2.67	1,082	.910	4	0	1	4
Devan Dubnyk	30	28	1,664:39	12	15	2	93	3.35	849	.890	1	0	0	2
Kaapo Kahkonen	5	5	304:12	3	1	1	15	2.96	172	.913	0	0	0	0

Playoffs[13]

Player	GP	GS	TOI	W	L	GA	GAA	SA	SV%	SO	G	A	PIM
Alex Stalock	4	4	237:14	1	3	12	3.03	116	.897	1	0	0	0

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Wild. Stats reflect time with the Wild only.
^‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Wild only.
Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

References

1. National Hockey League (2013). The National Hockey League Official Guide & Record Book/2014. Diamond Sports Data, Inc. p. 73. ISBN 978-1-894801-26-3.
2. "NHL statement on coronavirus". NHL.com. March 12, 2020. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
3. Fernandez, Gabriel (March 12, 2020). "Coronavirus live updates: NHL suspends season; MLB to halt spring training; NCAA conference tourneys canceled". CBSSports.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
4. Gulitti, Tom (May 26, 2020). "NHL plans to return with 24 teams competing for Stanley Cup". NHL.com. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
5. "NHL Hockey Standings". www.nhl.com. National Hockey League.
6. Rosen, Dan (May 26, 2020). "Return to Play: Western Conference". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
7. "Wild announces 2019-20 preseason schedule". NHL.com. June 13, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
8. "Wild announces 2019-20 regular season schedule". NHL.com. June 25, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
9. "Stanley Cup Qualifiers schedule". NHL.com. NHL.com. July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
10. "2019–20 Regular season – Minnesota Wild Stats – Skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
11. "2019–20 Playoffs – Minnesota Wild Stats – Skaters". NHL.com. Retrieved August 8, 2020.
12. "2019–20 Regular season – Minnesota Wild Stats – Goalies". NHL.com. Retrieved March 12, 2020.
13. "2019–20 Playoffs – Minnesota Wild Stats – Goalies". NHL.com. Retrieved August 8, 2020.