Minnesota Wild Milestones To Watch During 2023-24 Season

The Minnesota Wild will be one of the oldest teams in the NHL next season. As of now, they're set to be the fourth oldest team behind only the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and New York Rangers. With that in mind, it's not surprising that the Wild have a large group of players who can reach career milestones during the 2023-24 season.

Here are the most notable ones in order of probability:

• Marc-Andre Fleury has played in 985 games with wins in 544 of them. He is 544-315-91 in his career with 73 shutouts. The 38-year-old should reach both 1,000 games and 550 wins this upcoming season. According to Hockey-Reference, Fleury is fourth all-time in games played behind only Patrick Roy (1029), Roberto Luongo (1044) and Martin Brodeur (1266). Fleury went 24-16-4 with a .908 save percentage last season. Fleury is also only eight wins away from passing Patrick Roy for second place all-time in wins.

• With 186 goals, 573 points and 766 games to his name, Mats Zuccarello is just 14 goals, 27 points and 34 games short of three milestones: 200 goals, 600 points and 800 games. Zuccarello, who turns 36 on Sept. 1, is expected to hit all three in the final season of his five-year deal with the Wild. He's coming off another strong year where he recorded 67 points.

• Jared Spurgeon, the Wild's longest active tenured player, has played 851 games in his career and accumulated 379 points in the process. That makes him 49 games and 21 points short of 900 games and 400 points, both of which he should hit during the 2023-24 season. Spurgeon, 33, scored 11 goals and 34 points last season while finishing with a +32.

• If Marcus Foligno, 32, plays in at least 57 games and collects at least 28 points, he will reach two noteworthy milestones in the final year of his contract with the Wild: 800 games and 300 points. Foligno recorded 21 points in 65 games last season.

• Another longtime Wild blueliner in Jonas Brodin, who has played in 741 games, is set to play in his 800th game this upcoming season. Brodin, who recently turned 30, notched 14 games and a +13 in 60 games last season. He's also 37 points away from reaching 250 points.

• Marcus Johansson could hit the 500-point and 900-game marks next season with the Wild after re-signing for two more years if he records at least 47 points and he plays in at least 67 games. Johansson, who will turn 33 on Oct. 6, scored 18 points in his return to Minnesota and finished the season with 19 goals and 46 points.

• Joel Eriksson Ek will need to play in 79 games next year to reach the 500-game mark, and he's only eight goals and 44 points away from hitting 250 points and 100 goals. Eriksson Ek, 26, scored 23 goals and notched a career-high 61 points last season.

• Pat Maroon, who the Wild traded for to replace Ryan Reaves, currently sits with 729 games and 288 points under his belt — 71 games and 12 points shy of 800 games and 300 points. Maroon, 35, collected 14 points in 80 games last year with the Tampa Bay Lightning and will look to hit career milestones in his first season with the Wild.

• With 547 games to his name, Jon Merrill should hit the 600-game mark this upcoming season. Merrill, 31, collected 12 points in 73 games last season.

Jake Middleton (159 games), Brandon Duhaime (131) and Matt Boldy (128) are all expected to hit the 200-game mark this upcoming season, while Freddy Gaudreau is only 39 games short of 300. Kirill Kaprizov is at 234 points and is expected to hit 300 points.

If Ryan Hartman can replicate what he did during his career year in 2021-22 where he recorded 65 points, he could reach the 300-point plateau as he needs 67 more points. Alex Goligoski sits at 465 points, making him 35 points short of the 500-point mark. It's no guarantee, especially with his role undefined right now, but he has recorded 30 or more points in 10 different seasons, most recently with the Wild.