Minnesota Wild to Face Columbus Blue Jackets in Season Opener

The Minnesota Wild is set to begin their 2024 NHL season tonight with a matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The game will take place at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, marking the first game of the regular season for both teams.

Both teams enter the season opener with a 0-0-0 record, placing them in a tie for fourth in the Central Division for the Wild, and third in the Metropolitan Division for the Blue Jackets. During the previous 2023-24 season, the Wild had a series record of 1-0-1 against Columbus.

Statistically, the Wild finished last season with a power play success rate of 22.7% and a penalty kill at 74.5%. The team registered 3.02 goals for and 3.17 goals against per game on average. The Blue Jackets, on the other hand, had a 15.1% power play efficiency and a 76.3% penalty kill success rate, recording an average of 2.85 goals for and 3.63 goals against per game.

In the 2023-24 series against the Blue Jackets, Minnesota achieved a 4-3 overtime win in Columbus, while losing the series opener 5-4 in overtime at the Xcel Energy Center. Key players for Minnesota included Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson, each tallying three points across the two games. For the Blue Jackets, Cole Sillinger led the team with four points.

Recent roster updates for the Wild include the signing of goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to a two-year contract extension, securing his role with the team through the 2026-27 season.

Further details regarding the upcoming season opener can be accessed through the official game notes provided by the Minnesota Wild’s website.