NHL Lockout Continues

This is Day 75 of the NHL Lockout. How ridiculous for everyone involved.


The NHL has now canceled 422 regular-season games, lost the Winter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich., and the All-Star weekend in Columbus. What a waste of time, money, and hockey fun!

I am wondering how it's nearly Dec. 1 and the NHL is still locked out when the fight shouldn't be this tough.

Minnesota Wild Chicago Blackhawks Tickets

The hottest selling Minnesota Wild ticket has got to be the one that gets you into the Minnesota Wild Chicago Blackhawks game.

You should be there! Get your Wild Blackhawks tickets and take a seat at the Xcel Energy Center for a great game!

Wild Blackhawks Tickets

2012 Minnesota Wild Schedule

OCTOBER 2012
Date Visitor Home

Sat Oct 13, 2012 Avalanche Wild
Tue Oct 16, 2012 Blue Jackets Wild
Thu Oct 18, 2012 Wild Stars
Sat Oct 20, 2012 Wild Blues
Tue Oct 23, 2012 Canadiens Wild
Fri Oct 26, 2012 Wild Blue Jackets
Sat Oct 27, 2012 Panthers Wild
Mon Oct 29, 2012 Capitals Wild

NOVEMBER 2012
Date Visitor Home

Thu Nov 1, 2012 Kings Wild
Sat Nov 3, 2012 Wild Lightning
Tue Nov 6, 2012 Wild Bruins
Thu Nov 8, 2012 Wild Rangers
Sat Nov 10, 2012 Wild Red Wings
Sun Nov 11, 2012 Wild Devils
Tue Nov 13, 2012 Wild Flyers
Thu Nov 15, 2012 Blues Wild
Sat Nov 17, 2012 Red Wings Wild
Mon Nov 19, 2012 Wild Canucks
Tue Nov 20, 2012 Wild Flames
Fri Nov 23, 2012 Maple Leafs Wild
Mon Nov 26, 2012 Wild Penguins
Wed Nov 28, 2012 Blackhawks Wild
Fri Nov 30, 2012 Wild Avalanche

DECEMBER 2012
Date Visitor Home


Sat Dec 1, 2012 Wild Predators
Wed Dec 5, 2012 Wild Coyotes
Sat Dec 8, 2012 Wild Kings
Sun Dec 9, 2012 Wild Ducks
Wed Dec 12, 2012 Wild Blues
Fri Dec 14, 2012 Oilers Wild
Sat Dec 15, 2012 Islanders Wild
Tue Dec 18, 2012 Blackhawks Wild
Thu Dec 20, 2012 Canucks Wild
Sat Dec 22, 2012 Avalanche Wild
Wed Dec 26, 2012 Stars Wild
Fri Dec 28, 2012 Sabres Wild
Sat Dec 29, 2012 Wild Stars
Mon Dec 31, 2012 Oilers Wild

JANUARY 2013
Date Visitor Home

Wed Jan 2, 2013 Wild Jets
Thu Jan 3, 2013 Flames Wild
Sat Jan 5, 2013 Predators Wild
Wed Jan 9, 2013 Wild Ducks
Thu Jan 10, 2013 Wild Kings
Sat Jan 12, 2013 Wild Sharks
Tue Jan 15, 2013 Ducks Wild
Thu Jan 17, 2013 Sharks Wild
Sat Jan 19, 2013 Penguins Wild
Tue Jan 22, 2013 Kings Wild
Tue Jan 29, 2013 Flyers Wild

FEBRUARY 2013
Date Visitor Home

Fri Feb 1, 2013 Wild Hurricanes
Sat Feb 2, 2013 Wild Blue Jackets
Tue Feb 5, 2013 Wild Islanders
Thu Feb 7, 2013 Canucks Wild
Sat Feb 9, 2013 Avalanche Wild
Mon Feb 11, 2013 Wild Canucks
Wed Feb 13, 2013 Wild Flames
Thu Feb 14, 2013 Wild Oilers
Sun Feb 17, 2013 Red Wings Wild
Tue Feb 19, 2013 Predators Wild
Thu Feb 21, 2013 Wild Oilers
Sat Feb 23, 2013 Wild Flames
Tue Feb 26, 2013 Flames Wild

MARCH 2013
Date Visitor Home

Fri Mar 1, 2013 Wild Blackhawks
Sun Mar 3, 2013 Senators Wild
Tue Mar 5, 2013 Oilers Wild
Sat Mar 9, 2013 Wild Predators
Sun Mar 10, 2013 Canucks Wild
Tue Mar 12, 2013 Coyotes Wild
Thu Mar 14, 2013 Ducks Wild
Sat Mar 16, 2013 Wild Avalanche
Mon Mar 18, 2013 Wild Canucks
Tue Mar 19, 2013 Wild Oilers
Sat Mar 23, 2013 Sharks Wild
Tue Mar 26, 2013 Flames Wild
Wed Mar 27, 2013 Coyotes Wild
Sat Mar 30, 2013 Blues Wild

APRIL 2013
Date Visitor Home

Mon Apr 1, 2013 Wild Blackhawks
Wed Apr 3, 2013 Wild Sharks
Fri Apr 5, 2013 Wild Avalanche
Sat Apr 6, 2013 Wild Coyotes
Tue Apr 9, 2013 Wild Red Wings
Thu Apr 11, 2013 Stars Wild
Sat Apr 13, 2013 Blue Jackets Wild

Minnesota Wild Hockey Tickets For Sale

Hockey Tickets for the Minnesota Wild are for sale NOW. Buy from Hockey Tickets Minnesota and secure your tickets!

Take a peak at the Minnesota Wild schedule and find the games that work best for you.

Minnesota Wild Hockey Schedule

Zach Parise and Ryan Suter Sign with Minnesota Wild

The Minnesota Wild secured both of the NHL's top prizes in free agency, signing forward Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter on July 4th!

Each deal is for 13 years and $98 million.

Both Parise and Suter were seen as the top free agents in a very thin free agent market. Parise is a former New Jersey Devils playmaker. Suter comes to Minnesota as half of the duo with Shea Weber on the Nashville blue line.

Parise, who is 27, scored 31 goals and 69 points last season in his first year as the Devils' captain. Parise attributed a lot to the team making the Stanley Cup finals.

Suter, also 27, was the top defenseman available to teams this summer. Suter spent all seven of his NHL seasons with the Predators where he featured career high in points in 2011-12, with seven goals and 39 assists.

If you are interested in buying NHL Minnesota Wild hockey tickets, do not wait! When the Minnesota Wild announced "WE GOT 'EM!" tickets started flying out the door. Don't be left out in the cold this Minnesota Wild hockey season. Buy Wild tickets now!

Zach Parise and Ryan Suter Possibilities for Wild

The Wild ended the first day of free agency having signed either of the two franchise players they're chasing.

The Wild appear to be one of three finalists for New Jersey Devils forward Zach Parise and Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Suter.

The Wild announced that they had offered contracts to both players, who are expected to announce their today (7/2).

Guillaume Latendresse Tests Free Agency

It appears the Minnesota Wild won't have Guillaume Latendresse returning for the 2012-13 season.

After trying to sign Latendresse to a new contract, the forward said he is planning on testing the waters of free agency. Latendresse is seeking a team closer to his home in Montreal so he can spend more time with his four year old son, Hayden.

Minnesota Wild Preseason Schedule

The Minnesota Wild announced their preseason schedule. Oolala! I can't wait to join Nordy and the gain at the Xcel Energy Center! Take a peak at the preseason schedule and plan ahead.

Tuesday, Sept. 25 at Dallas Stars CenturyLink Arena (Boise, Idaho) 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 26 Dallas Stars Xcel Energy Center 7:00 p.m. 
Thursday, Sept. 27 St. Louis Blues Xcel Energy Center 7:00 p.m. 
Saturday, Sept. 29 at St. Louis Blues Scottrade Center 7:00 p.m. 
Tuesday, Oct. 2 Winnipeg Jets Xcel Energy Center 7:00 p.m. 
Thursday, Oct. 4 at Winnipeg Jets MTS Centre 7:00 p.m. 
Saturday, Oct. 6 at Calgary Flames Scotiabank Saddledome 8:00 p.m.

Xcel Energy Center Photos

I recently went around Minneapolis, St. Paul and a few of the surrounding suburbs to take photos of all the great venues! I took pictures of 24 total venues.

Enjoy these Xcel Energy Center photos!

Minnesota Wild Player Profile: Cal Clutterbuck

Meet Cal Clutterbuck, a forward for the Minnesota Wild.

Cal Clutterbuck was born on November 18, 1987 and grew up—like most of his fellow NHL players, in Canada. Cal Clutterbuck spent his years of junior hockey on two different teams in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL): the Toronto St. Michael's Majors and Oshawa Generals.

But bigger and better dreams called, and Cal Clutterbuck entered the 2006 NHL draft. The Minnesota Wild picked Clutterbuck during the 3rd round as the 72nd player overall. With excitement and a bit of trepidation, Cal Clutterbuck made his NHL appearance on October 28, 2007 in a match-up against the Colorado Avalanche.

Cal Clutterbuck has quickly become one of the most popular players on the Minnesota Wild roster.

Grand Old Day 2012

Grand Old Day is almost here! Wild fans, I know you like a good live band and a great beer to go with your sports, so I am giving you the inside scoop on one of the best events to kick off your summer.

Sunday, June 3 is Grand Old Day - a celebration that takes place on Grand Avenue from the cross streets of Cretin to Dale in St. Paul, Minnesota.

There are four 'zones' that make up the celebration: Family Fun District (Cretin to Snelling), Art District (Saratoga to Albert), Sporting District (Hamline to Dunlap), and the Entertainment District (Lexington to Dale).

The Family Fun District features games, pony rides, a petting zoo, music & entertainment fit for the entire family! In the Whole Foods Market lot, there are several entertainers provided. The day starts at noon with Paul Spring and progresses to Koo Koo Kangaroo, Snapdragon Seeds, and Radio Disney. At Grand & Cambridge, the little ones can enjoy free pony rides, petting zoo, inflatables, mini-golf and other games!

The Art District is likely to draw major crowds as it features art and crafts by local and regional artists. From Saratoga to Albert, you can get your fill of art and crafts. Noon-5pm will feature the Artstart Art Project at Pascal & Grand. There you can make your own Grand Hand Headpiece out of recycled materials!

The Sporting District features interactive games and fun from the Minnesota Wild, St. Paul Saints, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Rollergirls and more!

Also in the Sporting District is Bike Parking. Free bike parking is available on the Ayd Mill Bridge. There are over 140 bike parking spaces installed along Grand Avenue for convenient parking. Generally it will be easier to find a bike parking space than a space for your vehicle.You should bring your own bike lock. 

Perhaps the most popular area of the Grand Old Day is the Entertainment District! This district, from Lexington to Dale, presents live music in 6 festival gardens. In the Grand Garden (between Lexington and Oxford), bands will kick off the day in the US Bank Lot. At noon Zachary Scot Johnson will perform, followed by Dan Rodriguez at 1pm and SarahLou at 3pm. This garden is presented by Summit and Barefoot Wine, which means you should gear up for a good time!

At the Billy's Stage you will hear performances by Arc Flash Hazard, Orange Whip and Hookers and Blow. The Wild Onion Stage will bring White Iron Band and Rocket Club. The Grand Country Stage, located in the Pier 1 Lot, will feature Maiden Dixie and Tim Sigler. The 80's Stage in the Walgreens Lot will highlight Mish Mash and Boogie Wonderland. The Dixie's Stage will feature a heavy and fun lineup with Charlie Parr, Blind Shake, The Soviettes and Solid Gold.

The Grand Old Parade starts just after Dale & Grand and finishes in the Family Fun District at Fairview & Grand.

7:45am 
ON THE GO SPORTING EVENTS w/ start/finish line at Wheeler & Grand

7:45am In-Line Skate
7:50am 8K Run
9:05am 1/2 Mile Youth Run
9:15am 5K Walk/Jog

10:00am 
GRAND OLD DAY PARADE - "A Grand Salute to St. Paul" from Dale to Fairview

10:15am 
KID'S PARADE - registration at 10am, from Dale to Fairview 

10:30am 
FAMILY FUN ZONE until 5pm

12:00pm 
ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT from Dale to Lexington
6 festival gardens with live music (21+)

TEEN BATTLE OF THE BANDS until 5pm
WHOLE FOODS MARKET FAMILY FUN STAGE until 5pm
ART FAIR STAGE until 5pm

6:00pm 
EVENT CONCLUDES

There is free parking located in the Anderson Parking Ramp at the University of St. Thomas (Cretin & Grand). A free shuttle runs along Summit Avenue (one block north of Grand Avenue) from Cretin to Dale from 10am to 7pm.

Player Profiling: Minnesota Wild's Pierre-Marc Bouchard

Meet Pierre-Marc Bouchard, a center for the Minnesota Wild.

Pierre-Marc Bouchard grew up in southeastern Quebec, in the town of Sherbrooke. Like many boys growing up in Canada, Pierre-Marc was drawn to hockey at an early age…and his brother followed suit. From the frozen ponds of Canada to the glitzy indoor rinks of the NHL, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and younger brother François have made their mark. Pierre-Marc even busted out a crazy spin-out in an overtime match-up against the Chicago Blackhawks. Later, he attributed the move to François, revealing how much the two brothers learned from each other while patenting admittedly unconventional hockey moves.

The Chicoutimi Saguenéens were Pierre-Marc Bouchard’s junior league team. He started in 2000 at the young age of 16, and instantly earned recognition as a member of the league’s first All-Star Team. After another season in the juniors—and plenty of Rookie awards and honors—Bouchard took his play to the NHL and debuted with the Minnesota Wild in 2002.

During his inaugural Wild season, Bouchard made 7 goals and completed 13 assists—relatively solid standards in the NHL. Though he was bumped down to the Houston Aeros for the 2004-2005 season, Bouchard took that lemon and made some sweet lemonade. In short, he improved his play, maneuvering, and focus. By the time he returned to the Wild in 2005-2006, Bouchard impressed fans with 17 goals, 42 assists, and 59 points across 80 games.

Don’t worry, Minnesota Wild hockey fans. Players like Marian Gaborik may break your heart by leaving the team or losing their Wild spirit. However, Pierre-Marc Bouchard is a solid bet for the future of the Minnesota Wild.

Neil Diamond at the Xcel Energy Center

The Wild season may be over, but there are still plenty of great events taking place at the Xcel Energy Center!

Neil Diamond is coming to the Xcel Energy Center on Wednesday, July 11! The concert will kickoff at 8:00pm. Don't wait to move on these great tickets!

Tickets to the Xcel Energy Center Events: Van Halen

The Wild season may be over, but there are plenty of great shows and concerts that take place at the Xcel Energy Center during the off season.

Van Halen is coming to the Xcel Energy Center on Saturday, May 19th. The show starts rockin' at 7:30pm.

Some of Van Halen's most popular songs include:

Right Now

Jump

When It's Love

One I Want

Dreams

Fire in the Hole

Poundcake

Humans Being

Without You

Catch Van Halen in concert at the X! Current band members include: David Lee Roth, Eddie Van Halen, Michael Anthony and Wolfgang Van Halen.

Upcoming Xcel Energy Events, Minnesota Wild Games

Upcoming Xcel Energy Events:

Minnesota Wild
4/5 v Chicago Blackhawks
4/7 v Phoenix Coyotes

Barry Manilow
4/13 @ 730pm

Minnesota Swarm
4/14 v Washington Stealth
4/21 v Philadelphia Wings
4/28 v Colorado Mammoths

Check out these great Xcel Energy Events! They will be here before you know it!

Great Upcoming Visitors to Xcel Energy Center

The Minnesota Wild may be mathematically out of the playoffs, but they do have some great opposing teams coming to the X. The Rangers, Panthers and Kings will all be making an appearance in the next week.

Don't miss these great playoff contenders! Who knows? Maybe Minnesota can play the spoiler!

Wild Rangers

Wild Panthers

Wild Kings

CHEAP Minnesota Wild Tickets

Hey Minnesota Wild fans! Guess what? The team is not out of the race yet.

However, since people have essentially given up hope, ticket prices have dropped substantially. Last night we had tickets available for $12. TWELVE DOLLARS!

Get off the couch... its always more fun at the game!

Buy your Wild tickets! If nothing else, check out what specials the Wild are running for gate entry. I know on St. Patrick's day you can go to the game and get some free Minnesota Wild beads.

Do it.

Minnesota Wild Playoff Race

The NHL trade deadline is less than 2 weeks away and the Minnesota Wild are trying to keep pace in the Western Conference playoff race. The Wild were handicapped by a 7-game losing streak, during which they managed to gain only 2 out of 12 possible points.

Teams like Calgary, Colorado and Dallas all jumped Minnesota in the standings during the losing streak. Teams like the Anaheim Ducks came very close, despite their abysmal start.

In order to win upcoming games and stay in the playoff race, the Wild need to make a change to the product on the ice. More call-ups from within the organization are not the answer.