Game Preview: Blue Jackets vs. Wild

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Wild hosts the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at 5:00 p.m. on Wild+ and KFAN FM 100.3. The Wild will also be hosting its annual Hockey Fights Cancer theme night in tonight’s game.

Minnesota is looking to extend its win streak to two games after defeating the St. Louis Blue on Thursday night, 5-4, in a game that saw Matt Boldy net his fifth career hat trick. Columbus enters tonight with a 3-3-0 record, coming off a 1-0 overtime win over the New York Rangers last night. Per Stats Perform, The Wild is 11-2-3 against the Blue Jackets since 2017-18, scoring at least two goals in each of those 16 games.

Minnesota is also looking to remain unbeaten at home this season after starting 3-0-0, its best start since the 2016-17 season (4-0-0). Minnesota is one of three teams without a home loss this season, alongside the Rangers and Tampa Bay Lightning. The Wild has also scored at least four goals in each of its first three home games for the first time in franchise history.

A few key factors have led to the Wild’s home success. Its special teams is four of nine (44.4%) on the power play at home while only allowing one power play goal on 10 opportunities. Kirill Kaprizov (3-3=6) and Quinn Hughes (1-5=6) have also played huge roles in helping Minnesota get off to an undefeated start at home as they both have six points and have recorded at least a point in all three games.

Jesper Wallstedt gets the nod in tonight's contest for Minnesota. He has a 5-1-1 record with a 2.13 GAA and a .921 SV% in his seven starts. This will be Wallstedt’s second career start against the Blue Jackets, who won his first start on Dec. 18, 2025, stopping 27-of-29 shots faced.

Cam Talbot is the expected starter for Columbus. The former Wild netminder has a 1-1-0 record with a 4.43 GAA and a .822 SV% in his two starts this year. He has a 9-9-3 record with a 2.64 GAA and a .917 SV% in 21 career starts against the Wild.

Players to Watch:

Kirill Kaprizov: He currently leads the NHL with nine goals and ranks T-5th with 14 points (9-5=14) and has a point (6-5=11) in five consecutive games. He has had success against Columbus over the years, posting 16 points (11-5=16) in just nine games.

Quinn Hughes: He enters tonight (2-10=12) tied with Connor McDavid and Matthew Tkachuk for the longest active point streak in the NHL, and his assist streak is also tied with McDavid for the longest in the NHL. He owns 16 points (1-15=16) in 12 career contests against the Blue Jackets.

Info for Tonight's Game:

• When: Saturday, October 18 at 5:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Grand Casino Arena (St. Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Buy Tickets
• Watch: Where to Watch
• Listen: KFAN
• Gamecenter: Blue Jackets vs. Wild

At Tonight's Game:

• BMO Flag Bearer: Devin P.
• Bench Buddies an Fist Bump: Pinky Swear Kiddos
• Let's Play Hockey: Jim Petersen (Prostate Cancer Survivor, Current Color Analyst for the Minnesota Timberwolves)
• Retail Item of the Game: Celebrate the fight against cancer with exclusive merchandise available at the Hockey Lodge, a Fanatics Experience.
• Mystery Pucks: Hockey Fights Cancer Mystery Pucks are back! Head to Section 104 while supplies last. Proceeds benefit the Minnesota Wild Foundation.
• I Fight For Placards: Pick up your 'I Fight For' placards at a section near you! Available at Section 113 and 123 along with Gate 5 concierge desk, all Guest Services Locations, and all Hockey Fights Cancer concourse tables.

Records:

• Minnesota Wild Record: 5-2-1, 11 points
• Columbus Blue Jackets Record: 2-3-0, 4 points
• All-Time Wild Record: 36-23-11 (22-8-6 at Grand Casino Arena, 14-15-5 at Columbus)

Connections

• RW Nick Foligno collected 334 points (142-192=334) in 599 career games with Columbus over a span of nine seasons (2012-21), serving as team Captain from 2015-21
• D Daemon Hunt played 48 games with Columbus’s primary affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, in 2024-25
• C Charlie Coyle recorded 242 points (91-151=242) in 479 games across seven seasons (2012-19) with the Wild
• Talbot went 51-20-9 with a 2.71 GAA and a .913 SV% in two seasons (2020-22) with the Wild
• D Carson Soucy was selected by Minnesota in the fifth round (157th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft and collected 31 points (8-23=31) in three seasons with the Wild (2017-18, 2019-21)
• He also played four seasons at the University of Minnesota Duluth (2013-17)
• LW Matthew Knies played two seasons at the University of Minnesota (2021-23)
• Columbus Goalie Coach Niklas Backstrom went 194-142-50 in 409 career games with Minnesota (2006-15); he is the franchise leader in games played and wins.

Wild Leaders Against Blue Jackets

• Kaprizov (11-5=16, in nine games) and D Quinn Hughes (1-15=16, in 12 games) lead Minnesota with 16 points against Columbus
• C Blake Coleman owns 15 points (8-7=15) in 29 games
• Boldy has collected 14 points (5-9=14) in nine games
• D Jared Spurgeon has 13 points (2-11=13) in 28 games.

Blue Jacket Leaders Against Wild

• C Sean Monahan leads Columbus with 15 points (6-9=15) in 33 career games against Minnesota
• RW Valeri Nichushkin has 14 points (6-8=14) in 34 games…Werenski owns 11 points (7-4=9) in 15 games
• RW Conor Garland owns nine points (2-7=9) in 23 games

Connections

• Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager
  Bill Guerin registered 47 points (28-19=47) in 61 contests with the Blues
  in 2006-07
• F Jimmy Snuggerud is a Minneapolis native, played one season (2019-
  20. at Chaska High School and three seasons (2022-25) at the University
      of Minnesota.
• St. Louis Assistant Coach Greg Cronin spent one season as
  Head Coach of the Iowa Wild (2025-26).

Fast Facts

• Minnesota recorded an 11-game point streak (9-0-2) vs. Columbus, its longest-ever point streak against the Blue Jackets, prior to its loss on 10/11/25.
• The Wild has earned points in 20 of its last 27 meetings (15-7-5) against the Blue Jackets.

For more information on tonight's matchup, check out the game notes below.