3 turning points that derailed Minnesota Wild’s 2024-25 season ft. back-to-back losses against Vegas

The Minnesota Wild hit the 2024-25 season with relatively low expectations. Few analysts had picked them to make the playoffs. Yet the Wild rode a strong start to a playoff spot.

While the first-round exit was certainly disappointing, the Wild were hardly blown out by the Vegas Golden Knights in their playoff series. If anything, the series could have gone either way.

So, here’s a look at what went wrong for the Minnesota Wild in the 2024-25 season.

3 turning points that derailed Minnesota Wild’s 2024-25

#3 Bad trade deadline deals

The Minnesota Wild suddenly found themselves as buyers are the trade deadline last season. The club needed to add some punch and thought it had gotten it from Gustav Nyquist. The Wild got Nyquist from the Nashville Predators and Justin Brazeau from the Boston Bruins to beef up the team’s lineup.

However, the acquisitions were duds. Nyquist did not register a point in the Wild’s six playoff games. Brazeau notched just two assists.

Considering the lack of depth scoring from the Wild against Vegas, the total absence of Nyquist was something that came back to haunt Minnesota.

#2 Facing Vegas in first round

The Wild were in a tough spot. They were in third place in the Central Division for much of the season until the Colorado Avalanche finally caught up and surpassed them. The Wild fell to the first wild card spot, setting up a date with the Golden Knights.

The Knights proved to be a superior team, bouncing the Wild in six games. However, it must be said that the series could have gone either way. None of the Wild’s four losses were blowouts. Three of them were one-goal games. A lucky bounce here or there could have completely changed the dynamic of the series.

The Wild were on the wrong end of the series’ outcome, but the lack of depth scoring factored into the Wild’s inability to get past Vegas.

#1 Back-to-back OT losses against Golden Knights

As stated before, the series could have gone either way. The Minnesota Wild lost Games 2 and 3 in overtime. That’s why it’s fair to assume that, if the Wild had won at least one of those overtime contests, the series could have gone the distance.

It’s also fair to assume that if the Wild had not lost both overtime games, they could have had a shot a winning the series. Judging from the Wild’s two wins, that was certainly plausible.

But the Golden Knights proved to be more resilient. That attitude allowed the Golden Knights to advance to the second round.