Preview: Wild vs. Canucks

SAINT PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild starts a week of back-to-backs with a matinee game against the Vancouver Canucks. Minnesota will be holding its first-ever Next Gen Game in which many in-game elements will be cohosted by the State of Hockey's next generation. The first 3,500 kids 12 and under will receive a Nordy plush giveaway.

Info for Today's Game:

• When: Monday, February 19 at 1:00 p.m. CT
• Where: Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minnesota)
• Tickets: Next Gen Game
• In-Arena Food Item of the Game: Hot Dog/Soda Kids Pack
• Watch: Bally Sports North
• Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM
• Gamecenter: Wild vs. Canucks

Wild Record: 25-23-6, 56 points, 6th in Central Division

Canucks Record: 37-13-6, 80 points, 1st in Pacific Division

2023-24 Series Record: 1-1-0

Wild vs. Canucks All-Time Record: 49-38-15 (28-18-6 at Xcel Energy Center)

Last Time Out

The Wild fell in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres, 3-2, on Saturday (2/17) at home. F Joel Eriksson Ek scored for Minnesota to tie the game, 1-1. D Declan Chisholm scored his first NHL goal in his first game as a member of the Minnesota Wild on the power play. G Filip Gustavsson stopped 25-of-28 shots faced (.893 SV%).

The Canucks fell to the Winnipeg Jets, 4-2, on Saturday at Rogers Arena. Defensemen Noah Juulsen and Tyler Myers scored for Vancouver. G Thatcher Demko made 24-of-28 saves (.857 SV%).

Previously on Wild vs. Canucks

Minnesota defeated Vancouver in a shootout, 2-1, at Xcel Energy Center. F Frederick Gaudreau scored the Wild's lone goal in regulation. F Mats Zuccarello scored on G Casey DeSmith in the shootout to secure the victory. Gustavsson made 35-of-36 saves in regulation (.972 SV%) and was perfect in the shootout.

F Teddy Blueger scored Vancouver's only regulation goal. DeSmith made 30-of-31 saves for a .968 SV%.

Players to Watch

• F Matt Boldy (19-21=40) has seven points (3-4=7) in his last five games and is third in goals, T-3rd in points and fourth in assists on the Wild
• Eriksson Ek (25-20=45) leads Minnesota in goals, owns an active four-game point streak (4-2=6), has 20 points (10-10=20) in his last 17 games and needs one goal to match his single-season career high (26, 2021-22)
• F Kirill Kaprizov (20-31=51) leads the Wild in points this season, owns an active four-game point streak (1-5=6) and has 27 points (12-15=27) and a plus-10 rating in his last 19 games played
• F Elias Pettersson (28-44=72) leads Vancouver in points and has scored 11 points (3-8=11) in his last 10 games
• F Conor Garland (11-17=28) has four points (3-1=4) in his last five games played
• F Brock Boeser (30-24=54) leads the Canucks in goals and is fourth in points and is plus-21 this season

Recent Transactions

The Minnesota Wild signed F Mason Shaw to a one-year, two-way contract for the remainder of the 2023-24 season and assigned F Adam Beckman to Iowa (2/15). 

To view more recent transactions, visit wild.com/transactions.

To view Minnesota's full Injury Report, visit wild.com/injury.

Connections

• Wild Assistant Coach Darby Hendrickson skated in 27 games with the Canucks (1998-99)
• Wild Assistant Coach Jason King was selected by Vancouver in the seventh round (212th overall) of the 2001 NHL Draft and recorded 23 points (12-11=23) in 55 games in parts of two seasons with the Canucks (2002-04)
  • King also served as an Assistant Coach for Vancouver for three seasons (2020-23) and five seasons as an Assistant Coach with the Canucks AHL affiliate in Utica (2016-20)
• Canucks Assistant Coach Mike Yeo served as Wild Head Coach for parts of five seasons (2011-16)
• Boeser is from Burnsville
• D Ian Cole recorded eight points (1-7=8) in 52 games with Minnesota in 2020-21

Fast Facts

•  The Wild won eight consecutive meetings against Vancouver, outscoring the Canucks 28-16, before the 2-0 loss on 12/7/23
• Minnesota is 17-8-1 in its last 26 games against the Canucks, beginning in the 2014-15 season
• The Wild is 8-4-1 in the last 13 games played in Saint Paul since 2014-15
• Minnesota’s 113 points vs. the Canucks are its third-most against a team

Game Notes

For more information on today's contest, check out the game notes below.