The Call of the Wild

TL;DR

The Minnesota Wild finally broke their 11-year playoff series drought only to collapse again, losing to Colorado and proving old habits die hard.

Key Points

• 1.Minnesota ended 11 years of playoff futility by defeating Dallas in round one. The Wild, built with Quinn Hughes, a strong goalie tandem, and loaded wingers, were considered possibly the best roster in franchise history — but center depth was their glaring weakness.
• 2.Colorado dismantled Minnesota despite the Wild's talent, exposing their lack of center depth. Relying on Danila Yurov and Michael McCarron at second-line center proved fatal, and Game 5 symbolized the collapse — Minnesota blew a three-goal lead and a two-goal lead in the final minutes before Colorado scored to seal it.
• 3.Minnesota's playoff identity remained unchanged: close but never enough. Falling to Greg Kulak's series-winning goal, their first playoff series win since the Obama era ended in another gut-punch exit, raising urgent questions about extending Quinn Hughes.