2008–09 Minnesota Wild season explained

League:	NHL
Season:	2008–09
Year:	2008
Team:	Minnesota Wild
Conferencerank:	9th
Divisionrank:	3rd
Record:	40–33–9
Homerecord:	23–11–7
Roadrecord:	17–22–2
Goalsfor:	219
Goalsagainst:	200
Captain:	Rotating Mikko Koivu (Oct.–Nov., Jan., Mar.–Apr.) Kim Johnsson (Dec.) Andrew Brunette (Feb.)
Altcaptain:	Rotating Andrew Brunette (Oct.–Jan., Mar.–Apr.) Marian Gaborik (Oct.–Nov.) Kim Johnsson (Nov.) Mikko Koivu (Dec., Feb.) Owen Nolan (Jan., Mar.–Apr.) Nick Schultz (Feb.)
Attendance:	18,568 (102.8%)
Goalsleader:	Owen Nolan (25)
Assistsleader:	Mikko Koivu (47)
Pointsleader:	Mikko Koivu (67)
Plusminusleader:	Kurtis Foster (+7)
Pimleader:	Derek Boogaard (87)
Winsleader:	Niklas Backstrom (37)
Gaaleader:	Josh Harding (2.21)

The 2008–09 Minnesota Wild season began October 11, 2008. It was the Wild's ninth season in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Pre-season

At the conclusion of the Pre-season, the Wild finished with a 5-2 record.

2008 Pre-season Game Log: 5–2–0 (Home: 3–0–0 ; Road: 2–2–0)
	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 24		1–2	Minnesota			18,064	1–0–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010018
2	September 26	Minnesota	3–4				18,034	1–1–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010040
3	September 28	Minnesota	2–1		SO	Backstrom	17,311	2–1–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010058
4	September 30		2–3	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,064	3–1–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010067
5	October 1		2–3	Minnesota		Harding	18,064	4–1–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010071
6	October 3	Minnesota	3–5			Backstrom	11,794	4–2–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010085
7	October 4	Minnesota	3–0			Backstrom	21,273	5–2–0	http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008010093

Regular season

The Wild were the most disciplined team in the League during the regular season, with just 291 power-play opportunities against. They also allowed the fewest power-play goals, with just 36.^[1]

Conference standings

Schedule and results

2008–09 Game Log
October: 6–2–1 (Home: 3–1–1 ; Road: 3–1–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 11 3–4 Minnesota 18,568 1–0–0 2 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020025 2 October 14 Minnesota 4–2 Backstrom 11,843 2–0–0 4 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020040 3 October 16 Minnesota 6–2 Backstrom 12,106 3–0–0 6 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020052 4 October 18 Minnesota 1–0 SO Backstrom 15,191 4–0–0 8 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020071 5 October 23 4–3 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 4–0–1 9 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020096 6 October 25 1–2 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 5–0–1 11 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020113 7 October 27 2–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 6–0–1 13 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020123 8 October 29 Minnesota 2–4 Backstrom 18,431 6–1–1 13 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020134 9 October 30 2–1 Minnesota 18,568 6–2–1 13 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020141
November: 8–5–0 (Home: 4–3–0 ; Road: 4–2–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 1 Minnesota 3–2 Backstrom 14,817 7–2–1 15 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020160 11 November 4 Minnesota 1–3 Backstrom 17,183 7–3–1 15 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020177 12 November 6 Minnesota 3–1 Backstrom 14,562 8–3–1 17 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020187 13 November 8 Minnesota 0–2 Backstrom 18,630 8–4–1 17 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020205 14 November 13 0–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 9–4–1 19 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020232 15 November 15 2–3 Minnesota SO Backstrom 18,568 10–4–1 21 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020248 16 November 18 Minnesota 2–1 SO Backstrom 16,971 11–4–1 23 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020262 17 November 20 3–2 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 11–5–1 23 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020274 18 November 22 2–1 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 11–6–1 23 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020292 19 November 24 3–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 12–6–1 25 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020303 20 November 26 4–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 12–7–1 25 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020317 21 November 28 2–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 13–7–1 27 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020325 22 November 29 Minnesota 6–2 Harding 13,990 14–7–1 29 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020342
December: 4–9–1 (Home: 4–3–1 ; Road: 0–6–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 23 December 1 6–5 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 14–8–1 29 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020353 24 December 3 0–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 15–8–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020363 25 December 5 2–1 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 15–9–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020376 26 December 6 Minnesota 0–1 Harding 14,408 15–10–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020388 27 December 11 Minnesota 1–3 Backstrom 13,296 15–11–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020419 28 December 13 Minnesota 1–3 Backstrom 14,857 15–12–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020430 29 December 14 Minnesota 2–4 Harding 16,577 15–13–1 31 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020442 30 December 17 3–2 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 15–13–2 32 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020457 31 December 19 1–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 16–13–2 34 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020471 32 December 20 Minnesota 2–4 Backstrom 19,150 16–14–2 34 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020482 33 December 23 2–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 17–14–2 36 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020503 34 December 28 4–1 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 17–15–2 36 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020529 35 December 29 Minnesota 1–2 Harding 19,289 17–16–2 36 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020537 36 December 31 2–3 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 18–16–2 38 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020548
January: 7–5–1 (Home: 3–2–1 ; Road: 4–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 37 January 3 3–2 Minnesota SO Harding 18,568 18–16–3 39 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020571 38 January 4 Minnesota 2–0 Backstrom 14,125 19–16–3 41 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020580 39 January 6 Minnesota 1–0 Backstrom 16,272 20–16–3 43 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020585 40 January 8 Minnesota 1–3 Backstrom 19,596 20–17–3 43 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020600 41 January 10 Minnesota 2–4 Harding 16,605 20–18–3 43 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020621 42 January 13 3–6 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 21–18–3 45 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020638 43 January 15 1–5 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 22–18–3 47 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020650 44 January 17 3–0 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 22–19–3 47 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020670 45 January 19 Minnesota 4–1 Backstrom 21,320 23–19–3 49 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020682 46 January 20 5–2 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 23–20–3 49 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020688 47 January 27 1–6 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 24–20–3 51 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020707 48 January 30 Minnesota 1–3 Backstrom 16,839 24–21–3 51 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020729 49 January 31 Minnesota 4–3 OT Backstrom 18,630 25–21–3 53 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020740
February: 5–5–2 (Home: 4–2–2 ; Road: 1–3–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 50 February 4 0–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 26–21–3 55 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020763 51 February 6 2–0 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 26–22–3 55 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020775 52 February 8 2–3 Minnesota SO Backstrom 18,568 27–22–3 57 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020791 53 February 11 2–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 28–22–3 59 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020807 54 February 12 Minnesota 2–4 Harding 20,066 28–23–3 59 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020814 55 February 14 5–3 Minnesota Harding 18,568 28–24–3 59 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020831 56 February 19 3–2 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 28–24–4 60 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020867 57 February 21 2–5 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 29–24–4 62 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020884 58 February 22 Minnesota 2–1 Harding 22,443 30–24–4 64 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020891 59 February 24 2–1 Minnesota SO Backstrom 18,568 30–24–5 65 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020900 60 February 27 Minnesota 1–4 Backstrom 19,289 30–25–5 65 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020921 61 February 28 Minnesota 2–3 Harding 16,839 30–26–5 65 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020933
March: 6–6–4 (Home: 2–0–2 ; Road: 4–6–2) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 3 Minnesota 2–4 Backstrom 18,630 30–27–5 65 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020951 63 March 5 Minnesota 4–3 OT Backstrom 17,496 31–27–5 67 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020963 64 March 7 Minnesota 3–4 Harding 18,118 31–28–5 67 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020971 65 March 8 Minnesota 3–2 Backstrom 17,300 32–28–5 69 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020985 66 March 10 5–4 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 32–28–6 70 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008020997 67 March 12 Minnesota 1–2 SO Backstrom 14,213 32–28–7 71 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021014 68 March 14 Minnesota 2–3 OT Backstrom 18,584 32–28–8 72 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021027 69 March 15 Minnesota 3–5 Backstrom 19,150 32–29–8 72 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021035 70 March 17 2–3 Minnesota SO Backstrom 18,568 33–29–8 74 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021047 71 March 20 Minnesota 0–4 Backstrom 17,625 33–30–8 74 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021063 72 March 22 0–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 34–30–8 76 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021081 73 March 24 Minnesota 1–2 Backstrom 18,200 34–31–8 76 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021089 74 March 25 Minnesota 6–2 Backstrom 13,332 35–31–8 78 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021097 75 March 28 Minnesota 2–3 Backstrom 19,289 35–32–8 78 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021125 76 March 29 Minnesota 3–2 Backstrom 16,839 36–32–8 80 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021132 77 March 31 2–1 Minnesota OT Backstrom 18,568 36–32–9 81 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021141
April: 4–1–0 (Home: 3–0–0 ; Road: 1–1–0) Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 3 0–4 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 37–32–9 83 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021162 79 April 5 Minnesota 2–3 Backstrom 20,066 37–33–9 83 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021177 80 April 7 1–3 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 38–33–9 85 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021192 81 April 10 4–8 Minnesota Backstrom 18,568 39–33–9 87 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021210 82 April 11 Minnesota 6–3 Harding 19,013 40–33–9 89 http://www.nhl.com/ice/recap.htm?id=2008021224
Legend:

Playoffs

The Minnesota Wild failed to qualify for the 2009 NHL Playoffs. after qualifying in 2006-07 and 2007–08

Player statistics

Goaltenders

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Wild. Stats reflect time with Wild only.
^‡Traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with Wild only.

Awards and records

Milestones

Regular Season
Player	Milestone	Reached
	100th NHL Game	October 11, 2008
	1st NHL Game 1st NHL Assist 1st NHL Point	October 11, 2008
	600th NHL Game	October 14, 2008
	100th NHL Point	October 27, 2008
	800th NHL Game	November 6, 2008
	1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Point	November 15, 2008

Transactions

Trades

June 20, 2008	To Minnesota Wild 23rd pick in 2008 (Tyler Cuma)	To New Jersey Devils 24th pick in 2008 (Mattias Tedenby) 3rd round pick in 2009 (Alexander Urbom)
July 1, 2008		To Nashville Predators Ryan Jones 2nd round pick in 2009 (Charles-Olivier Roussel)
June 10, 2008		To Anaheim Ducks 3rd round pick in 2009 (Brandon McMillan)
July 11, 2008		To Montreal Canadiens Shawn Belle
January 21, 2008	To Minnesota Wild Robbie Earl	To Toronto Maple Leafs Ryan Hamilton
January 29, 2008	To Minnesota Wild Dan Fritsche	To New York Rangers Erik Reitz

Free agents

Player Former team Contract Terms 3 years, $7 million 2 years, $5.5 million 3 years, $7 million

Player New team Phoenix Coyotes New Jersey Devils Vancouver Canucks Nashville Predators

Draft picks

Minnesota's picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario.

Round		Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	23 (from Washington via New Jersey)		(D)		Ottawa 67's (OHL)
2	55		(D)		Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)
4	115	Sean Lorenz	(D)		U.S. National Team Development Program (NAHL)
5	145		(LW)		Lukko (Finland Jr.)

See also

• 2008–09 NHL season

Notes and References

1. Web site: 2008-09 NHL Summary.