2014–15 Minnesota Wild season

The 2014–15 Minnesota Wild season was the 15th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on June 25, 1997.

Off-season Following the team's 4–2 Western Conference semifinals loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, General Manager Chuck Fletcher was tasked with deciding how to deal with the Wild's 21 free-agents, including 13 unrestricted and nine restricted free agents. The contract situation for all players, including UFAs Dany Heatley, Cody McCormick, Matt Moulson and Nate Prosser, needed to be decided before heading into the NHL's free agency period beginning on July 1, 2014.

Playoffs

The Minnesota Wild entered the playoffs as the Western Conference's first wild-card. After defeating the St. Louis Blues 4–2 in the first round, they advanced to the second round, where they were swept by the Chicago Blackhawks for the third-straight season.

Standings

Suspensions/fines Player Explanation Length Salary Date issued Marco Scandella Illegal check to the head of St. Louis Blues forward T. J. Oshie during NHL Game No. 351 in St. Paul on Saturday, November 29, 2014, at 8:45 of the first period. — $2,755.38 December 1, 2014 Marco Scandella Illegal check to the head of New York Islanders forward Brock Nelson during NHL Game No. 415 in St. Paul on Tuesday, December 9, 2014, at 17:32 of the third period. 2 games(1–1 in absence) $11,021.50 December 10, 2014 Ryan Suter Elbowing Pittsburgh Penguins forward Steve Downie during NHL Game No. 633 in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, at 4:22 of the second period. 2 games(2–0 in absence) $81,058.72 January 14, 2015

Schedule and results

Pre-season 2014 preseason game log: 3–2–1 (Home: 3–0–0; Road: 0–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 22 Minnesota 1–2 Winnipeg Bryzgalov 14,448 0–1–0 2 September 25 Minnesota 2–3 Pittsburgh OT Bryzgalov 17,858 0–1–1 3 September 27 Winnipeg 3–4 Minnesota Backstrom 16,822 1–1–1 4 September 29 Pittsburgh 1–4 Minnesota Kuemper 16,106 2–1–1 5 October 2 Minnesota 1–4 St. Louis Backstrom 12,103 2–2–1 6 October 4 St. Louis 4–5 Minnesota OT Kuemper 17,342 3–2–1

Regular season 2014–15 Game Log October: 6–3–0 (Home: 4–0–0; Road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Colorado 0–5 Minnesota Kuemper 19,098 1–0–0 2 2 October 11 Minnesota 3–0 Colorado Kuemper 18,139 2–0–0 4 3 October 17 Minnesota 1–2 Anaheim Kuemper 17,306 2–1–0 4 4 October 19 Minnesota 1–2 Los Angeles Backstrom 18,230 2–2–0 4 5 October 23 Arizona 0–2 Minnesota Kuemper 18,554 3–2–0 6 6 October 25 Tampa Bay 2–7 Minnesota Kuemper 18,884 4–2–0 8 7 October 27 Minnesota 4–5 NY Rangers Kuemper 18,006 4–3–0 8 8 October 28 Minnesota 4–3 Boston Backstrom 17,565 5–3–0 10 9 October 30 San Jose 3–4 Minnesota SO Kuemper 18,633 6–3–0 12 November: 7–6–1 (Home: 3–2–1; Road: 4–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Dallas 1–4 Minnesota Kuemper 19,088 7–3–0 14 11 November 4 Pittsburgh 4–1 Minnesota Kuemper 18,788 7–4–0 14 12 November 6 Minnesota 0–3 Ottawa Backstrom 16,867 7–5–0 14 13 November 8 Minnesota 1–4 Montreal Kuemper 21,287 7–6–0 14 14 November 11 Minnesota 1–3 New Jersey Kuemper 14,256 7–7–0 14 15 November 13 Buffalo 3–6 Minnesota Backstrom 18,925 8–7–0 16 16 November 15 Minnesota 2–1 Dallas Kuemper 17,543 9–7–0 18 17 November 16 Winnipeg 3–4 Minnesota OT Kuemper 18,808 10–7–0 20 18 November 20 Minnesota 3–2 Philadelphia Kuemper 19,919 11–7–0 22 19 November 22 Minnesota 1–2 Tampa Bay Kuemper 19,204 11–8–0 22 20 November 24 Minnesota 4–1 Florida Backstrom 8,426 12–8–0 24 21 November 26 Los Angeles 4–0 Minnesota Kuemper 19,038 12–9–0 24 22 November 28 Minnesota 5–4 Dallas OT Kuemper 18,532 13–9–0 26 23 November 29 St. Louis 3–2 Minnesota SO Backstrom 19,124 13–9–1 27 December: 4–5–3 (Home: 2–2–3; Road: 2–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 3 Montreal 1–2 Minnesota Kuemper 19,034 14–9–1 29 25 December 5 Anaheim 5–4 Minnesota Kuemper 19,044 14–10–1 29 26 December 9 NY Islanders 4–5 Minnesota Backstrom 18,904 15–10–1 31 27 December 11 Minnesota 1–2 San Jose Kuemper 17,097 15–11–1 31 28 December 13 Minnesota 4–3 Arizona SO Backstrom 13,975 16–11–1 33 29 December 16 Minnesota 3–5 Chicago Backstrom 21,472 16–12–1 33 30 December 17 Boston 3–2 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,841 16–12–2 34 31 December 20 Nashville 6–5 Minnesota OT Backstrom 19,017 16–12–3 35 32 December 23 Philadelphia 5–2 Minnesota Kuemper 19,020 16–13–3 35 33 December 27 Winnipeg 4–3 Minnesota OT Curry 19,177 16–13–4 36 34 December 29 Minnesota 3–2 Winnipeg Kuemper 15,016 17–13–4 38 35 December 31 Minnesota 1–3 Columbus Kuemper 18,040 17–14–4 38 January: 5–6–2 (Home: 2–3–1; Road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 36 January 2 Toronto 1–3 Minnesota Kuemper 19,168 18–14–4 40 37 January 3 Minnesota 1–7 Dallas Kuemper 18,532 18–15–4 40 38 January 6 San Jose 4–3 Minnesota OT Kuemper 19,043 18–15–5 41 39 January 8 Chicago 4–2 Minnesota Backstrom 19,060 18–16–5 41 40 January 10 Nashville 3–1 Minnesota Backstrom 19,052 18–17–5 41 41 January 11 Minnesota 1–4 Chicago Backstrom 21,809 18–18–5 41 42 January 13 Minnesota 2–7 Pittsburgh Backstrom 18,642 18–19–5 41 43 January 15 Minnesota 7–0 Buffalo Dubnyk 18,963 19–19–5 43 44 January 17 Arizona 1–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,111 20–19–5 45 45 January 19 Columbus 3–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,064 20–20–5 45 46 January 20 Minnesota 4–5 Detroit SO Kuemper 20,027 20–20–6 46 47 January 27 Minnesota 2–1 Edmonton Dubnyk 16,839 21–20–6 48 48 January 29 Minnesota 1–0 Calgary Dubnyk 19,289 22–20–6 50 February: 11–2–1 (Home: 6–1–0; Road: 5–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 February 1 Minnesota 4–2 Vancouver Dubnyk 18,438 23–20–6 52 50 February 3 Chicago 0–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,104 24–20–6 54 51 February 7 Colorado 0–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,244 25–20–6 56 52 February 9 Vancouver 3–5 Minnesota Dubnyk 18,804 26–20–6 58 53 February 10 Minnesota 1–2 Winnipeg OT Dubnyk 15,016 26–20–7 59 54 February 12 Florida 1–2 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,055 27–20–7 61 55 February 14 Carolina 3–6 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,220 28–20–7 63 56 February 16 Minnesota 2–3 Vancouver Dubnyk 18,465 28–21–7 63 57 February 18 Minnesota 3–2 Calgary OT Dubnyk 19,277 29–21–7 65 58 February 20 Minnesota 4–0 Edmonton Dubnyk 16,839 30–21–7 67 59 February 22 Dallas 2–6 Minnesota Dubnyk 18,754 31–21–7 69 60 February 24 Edmonton 2–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,044 31–22–7 69 61 February 26 Minnesota 4–2 Nashville Dubnyk 17,113 32–22–7 71 62 February 28 Minnesota 3–1 Colorado Dubnyk 18,087 33–22–7 73 March: 11–3–0 (Home: 5–3–0; Road: 6–0–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 63 March 3 Ottawa 2–3 Minnesota SO Dubnyk 19,054 34–22–7 75 64 March 5 Minnesota 2–1 Washington Dubnyk 18,506 35–22–7 77 65 March 6 Minnesota 3–1 Carolina Dubnyk 10,857 36–22–7 79 66 March 8 Colorado 3–2 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,119 36–23–7 79 67 March 10 New Jersey 2–6 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,034 37–23–7 81 68 March 13 Anaheim 2–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,045 37–24–7 81 69 March 14 Minnesota 3–1 St. Louis Dubnyk 19,638 38–24–7 83 70 March 17 Minnesota 3–2 Nashville OT Dubnyk 17,209 39–24–7 85 71 March 19 Washington 3–2 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,044 39–25–7 85 72 March 21 St. Louis 3–6 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,204 40–25–7 87 73 March 23 Minnesota 2–1 Toronto Dubnyk 18,366 41–25–7 89 74 March 24 Minnesota 2–1 NY Islanders SO Dubnyk 16,170 42–25–7 91 75 March 27 Calgary 2–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,040 43–25–7 93 76 March 28 Los Angeles 1–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,204 44–25–7 95 April: 2–3–1 (Home: 0–2–1; Road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 77 April 2 NY Rangers 3–2 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,244 44–26–7 95 78 April 4 Detroit 3–2 Minnesota SO Dubnyk 19,246 44–26–8 96 79 April 6 Winnipeg 2–0 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,010 44–27–8 96 80 April 7 Minnesota 2–1 Chicago Dubnyk 21,851 45–27–8 98 81 April 9 Minnesota 4–2 Nashville Kuemper 17,236 46–27–8 100 82 April 11 Minnesota 2–4 St. Louis Dubnyk 19,155 46–28–8 100 Legend:

Playoffs

2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference first round vs. (C1) St. Louis Blues: Minnesota wins 4–2 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 April 16 Minnesota 4–2 St. Louis Dubnyk 19,671 1–0 Recap 2 April 18 Minnesota 1–4 St. Louis Dubnyk 19,243 1–1 Recap 3 April 20 St. Louis 0–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,165 2–1 Recap 4 April 22 St. Louis 6–1 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,390 2–2 Recap 5 April 24 Minnesota 4–1 St. Louis Dubnyk 19,653 3–2 Recap 6 April 26 St. Louis 1–4 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,318 4–2 Recap Western Conference second round vs. (C3) Chicago Blackhawks: Chicago wins 4–0 # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Series Recap 1 May 1 Minnesota 3–4 Chicago Dubnyk 21,851 0–1 Recap 2 May 3 Minnesota 1–4 Chicago Dubnyk 21,934 0–2 Recap 3 May 5 Chicago 1–0 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,349 0–3 Recap 4 May 7 Chicago 4–3 Minnesota Dubnyk 19,163 0–4 Recap

Legend:

Player statistics Final stats Skaters

Regular season Player 74 33 29 62 21 41 82 18 36 54 9 8 80 21 31 52 −6 37 80 14 34 48 2 38 68 8 31 39 17 20 77 2 36 38 7 48 80 24 13 37 2 28 82 11 24 35 13 39 71 9 22 31 13 12 51 21 5 26 −9 18 66 9 16 25 3 6 64 11 12 23 8 56 73 9 11 20 −6 47 71 3 14 17 21 8 58 8 8 16 13 23 72 7 7 14 −7 32 53 3 10 13 3 55 † 20 3 8 11 4 25 29 4 6 10 0 13 40 2 8 10 3 13 25 3 5 8 9 2 63 2 5 7 −1 32 6 0 3 3 1 4 12 1 1 2 0 10 † 17 1 0 1 −4 6 † 18 0 1 1 1 8 14 0 1 1 −3 26 4 0 1 1 −3 2 9 0 1 1 1 46 3 0 0 0 0 0 ‡ 13 0 0 0 −6 7

Playoffs Player 10 4 6 10 0 4 10 3 3 6 −1 0 10 2 4 6 2 0 10 4 1 5 −2 10 10 2 2 4 −1 2 10 1 3 4 0 4 10 1 3 4 −4 2 10 0 4 4 −7 2 10 2 1 3 4 0 10 2 1 3 −1 2 10 0 3 3 −8 0 10 1 1 2 −3 0 6 1 1 2 0 2 7 0 2 2 1 4 8 0 2 2 −3 2 2 1 0 1 1 0 9 0 0 0 −3 0 3 0 0 0 −2 0 10 0 0 0 −3 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 −1 2 10 0 0 0 −2 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player † 39 39 2293 27 9 2 68 1.78 1064 .936 5 0 2 2 31 28 1569 14 12 2 68 2.60 718 .905 3 0 0 0 19 14 1005 5 7 3 51 3.04 452 .887 0 0 0 2 2 1 72 0 0 1 5 4.17 25 .800 0 0 0 0 Playoffs Player 10 10 570 4 6 24 2.53 260 .908 1 0 1 0 1 0 23 0 0 0 0.00 9 1.000 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Wild. Stats reflect time with the Wild only. ‡Traded mid-season

Notable achievements

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded NHL Second Star of the Week October 13, 2014 NHL Second Star of the Week December 15, 2014 R. Suter NHL All-Star game selection January 10, 2015 NHL Third Star of the Week January 26, 2015 NHL Third Star of the Week February 2, 2015 D. Dubnyk NHL First Star of the Week February 9, 2015 D. Dubnyk NHL First Star of the Month March 1, 2015 D. Dubnyk NHL First Star of the Week March 30, 2015 D. Dubnyk NHL Third Star of the Month April 1, 2015

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached 100th Career NHL Game November 1, 2014 1st Career NHL Hat Trick November 13, 2014 600th Career NHL Game November 26, 2014 400th Career NHL Game December 9, 2014 1st Career NHL Goal December 11, 2014 700th Career NHL Game December 17, 2014 700th Career NHL Game December 17, 2014 1st Career NHL Game December 29, 2014 700th Career NHL Game January 3, 2015 100th Career NHL Game January 8, 2015 200th Career NHL Game January 17, 2015 400th Career NHL Game January 17, 2015 T. Vanek 300th Career NHL Assist January 29, 2015 200th Career NHL Game February 3, 2015 500th Career NHL Game February 12, 2015 N. Niederreiter 200th Career NHL Game February 14, 2015 600th Career NHL Game February 20, 2015 100th Career NHL Game February 26, 2015 500th Career NHL Game March 27, 2015 100th Career NHL Point March 27, 2015 T. Vanek 600th Career NHL Point March 14, 2015 D. Dubnyk 38th Consecutive Start April 7, 2015 500th Career NHL Point April 9, 2015