Quinn Hughes chases history and Jesper Wallstedt seizes the crease as Minnesota aims to transform rising expectations into a deep postseason charge behind a revamped, high-octane roster.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The wait is over.
The 2026-27 NHL regular season officially begins Tuesday, and the Minnesota Wild will have to wait just a little bit longer before beginning their season Thursday night against the Nashville Predators.
Minnesota enters the season with expectations considerably higher than they were a year ago.
The Wild finished last season with 104 points before defeating the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, their first series victory since 2015. Their run ended against the Colorado Avalanche in the second round.
Now, with Quinn Hughes entering his first full season in Minnesota, Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy leading the offense and several young players pushing for larger roles, the Wild will look to take another step.
Before the puck drops Thursday, here are five bold predictions for the Wild's 2026-27 season.
1. Quinn Hughes Wins The Norris Trophy
Let's start big.
Hughes will win his second Norris Trophy and become the first player in Wild history to win the award.
The 26-year-old had 53 points in just 48 regular-season games after being acquired by Minnesota last December. He then added 15 points in 11 playoff games.
Now Hughes gets an entire season in Minnesota.
He will quarterback the Wild's top power-play unit and should once again play massive minutes at even strength. With Kaprizov, Boldy and Joel Eriksson Ek among the weapons around him, Hughes has everything he needs to put together another huge offensive season.
The contract situation will follow Hughes throughout the year, but on the ice, expect him to remind everyone why Minnesota paid such a massive price to acquire him.
Prediction: Hughes wins the Norris.
2. Jesper Wallstedt Takes Over As The Wild's No. 1 Goaltender
Filip Gustavsson will begin the season on injured reserve after undergoing offseason hip surgery, opening the door for Jesper Wallstedt.
Prediction: Wallstedt won't give the job back.
The 23-year-old has been viewed as Minnesota's goaltender of the future since the Wild selected him 20th overall in the 2021 NHL Draft. This season will be the year he establishes himself as the goaltender of the present.
Gustavsson will eventually return, and Minnesota will still have two capable goaltenders. But by the end of the season, Wallstedt will have started more games and established himself as the Wild's No. 1 option heading into the playoffs.
3. Maxim Shabanov Scores 25 Goals
There might not be a player on Minnesota's roster with a better opportunity to dramatically outperform last season than Maxim Shabanov.
Shabanov recorded five goals and 18 points in 44 games with the New York Islanders as an NHL rookie last season before signing with Minnesota this summer.
But his opportunity with the Wild is completely different.
Shabanov spent training camp getting looks alongside Kaprizov and has an opportunity to play a significant offensive role. He has the skill to create offense, and playing with Minnesota's best players should give him significantly more opportunities than he had last season.
Going from five goals to 25 would be a massive jump.
That's why it's a bold prediction.
4. David Spacek Becomes A Full-Time NHL Defenseman
David Spacek entered training camp on the outside looking in.
Spacek, 23, was one of Minnesota's most consistent players throughout camp and survived the Wild's final round of cuts. With Brock Faber beginning the season on injured reserve, Spacek will get an opportunity to remain around the NHL club.
The prediction here goes beyond simply sticking around until Faber returns.
Spacek will play well enough when his opportunity arrives that the Wild eventually have a difficult time taking him out of the lineup.
John Hynes praised Spacek's strength, puck movement, breakout ability and consistency during training camp. Those are traits that should translate well to the NHL.
By the end of the season, Spacek will no longer be viewed as a prospect trying to make the Wild. He'll be an NHL defenseman.
5. The Wild Reach The Western Conference Final
Minnesota finally broke through last spring. Now it takes another step.
The Wild hadn't won a playoff series in a decade before eliminating Dallas last season. They ultimately ran into Colorado in the second round, but that postseason gave Minnesota's core something it hadn't previously experienced together.
A deep playoff run.
This roster isn't perfect. Minnesota lost offensive production during the offseason and will need players such as Shabanov, Danila Yurov and Bobby Brink to help replace it.
But the Wild also get a full season of Hughes alongside a core featuring Kaprizov, Boldy, Eriksson Ek, Brock Faber, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon.
Then there is Wallstedt, who could give Minnesota another difference-maker if he takes the step many have been waiting for.
The Central Division won't make anything easy, and Minnesota will have to go through some of the NHL's best teams to get there.
But that's what makes it bold.
Prediction: For the first time since 2003, the Wild will play in the Western Conference Final.
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