MINNESOTA WILD QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS
First team
Attackers
Marian Gaborik
Kirill Kaprizov
Mikko Koivu
Defenders
Jonas Brodin
Jared Spurgeon
Guardian
Niklas Backstrom
Attacker : Kaprizov is a pillar for the Wild, as demonstrated by his 50 points (23 goals, 27 assists) in 34 games this season, good for first place in team scoring. Winner of the Calder Trophy in 2020-21, awarded to the NHL rookie of the year, Kaprizov accumulated 380 points (183 goals, 197 assists) in 312 games with Minnesota. Gaborik spent the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Wild and scored 437 points (219 goals, 218 assists) in 502 games. Last, but not least, is Koivu, the Wild player with the most years of service among the candidates on this list. Koivu also leads this group with 709 points (205 goals, 504 assists).
Defenders : These two guards are current members of the Wild since the beginning of their careers. Brodin has 254 points (58 goals, 196 assists) in 832 games, while Spurgeon, who is the longest-serving defenseman among players in the last 25 years in Minnesota, has 397 points (114 goals, 283 assists) in 899 matches.
Guardian : Backstrom spent nine of his ten NHL seasons with the Wild, posting a 194-142-50 record, a 2.48 goals-against average, a .915 save percentage and 28 shutouts in 409 games . In 2006-07, he and Manny Fernandez won the William J. Jennings Trophy for allowing the fewest goals in the NHL during that season (176).
Second team
Attackers
Andrew Brunette
Joel Eriksson Me
Zach Parise
Defenders
Nick Schultz
Ryan Suter
Guardian
Devan Dubnyk
Attackers : Now coach of the Nashville Predators, Brunette collected 321 points (119 goals, 202 assists) in 489 games during his two stays with the Wild (2001-04 and 2008-11). Eriksson-Ek, part of the current edition of the Wild, is one of the most complete players in the League. He recorded 286 points (127 goals, 159 assists) in 523 games with Minnesota. Parise spent nine seasons with the Wild and had 400 points (199 goals, 201 assists) in 558 games.
Defenders : Schultz was the second draft pick in Wild history when he was selected in the second round (33rd) in 2000. He had 128 points (26 goals, 102 assists) in 743 games with the Wild. Suter played nine seasons with the Wild and had 369 points (55 goals, 314 assists) in 656 games. Known as a workhorse capable of playing a high number of minutes, Suter averaged 27:02 on the ice per game during his time in Minnesota.
Guardian : Dubnyk spent six seasons with the Wild, going 177-113-28 with a 2.41 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and 23 shutouts in 328 games. He won the Bill Masterton Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplified the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey, in 2014-15.
Coming Wednesday : Los Angeles Kings Quarter-Century Teams
