2007–08 Minnesota Wild season

2007–08 Minnesota Wild
2007–08 Minnesota Wild
Northwest Division champions
Division	1st Northwest
Conference	3rd Western
2007–08 record	44–28–10
Home record	25–11–5
Road record	19–17–5
Goals for	223
Goals against	218
Team information
General manager	Doug Risebrough
Coach	Jacques Lemaire
Captain	Rotating ; Pavol Demitra (Oct.); Brian Rolston (Nov.); Mark Parrish (Dec.); Nick Schultz (Jan.–Feb.); Marian Gaborik (Mar.–Apr.)
Alternate captains	Rotating ; Brian Rolston (Oct., Dec.–Apr.); Wes Walz (Oct.–Nov.); Mikko Koivu (Nov., Jan., Mar.–Apr.); Nick Schultz (Dec.) ; Kim Johnsson (Jan., Feb.)
Arena	Xcel Energy Center
Average attendance	18,568 (102.8%)
Team leaders
Goals	Marian Gaborik (42)
Assists	Pierre-Marc Bouchard (50)
Points	Marian Gaborik (83)
Penalty minutes	Aaron Voros (141)
Plus/minus	Marian Gaborik (+17)
Wins	Niklas Backstrom (33)
Goals against average	Niklas Backstrom (2.31)
	← 2006–07 2008–09 →

The 2007–08 Minnesota Wild season began October 4, 2007. It was the Wild's eighth season in the National Hockey League (NHL). They won their first Northwest Division title this season.

Key dates prior to the start of the season:

The 2007 NHL Entry Draft took place in Columbus, Ohio, on June 22–23
The free agency period began on July 1.

Regular season

Divisional standings

Northwest Division
		GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	y – Minnesota Wild	82	44	28	10	223	218	98
2	Colorado Avalanche	82	44	31	7	231	219	95
3	Calgary Flames	82	42	30	10	229	227	94
4	Edmonton Oilers	82	41	35	6	235	251	88
5	Vancouver Canucks	82	39	33	10	213	215	88

Conference standings

Western Conference
R		Div	GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – Detroit Red Wings	CE	82	54	21	7	257	184	115
2	y – San Jose Sharks	PA	82	49	23	10	222	193	108
3	y – Minnesota Wild	NW	82	44	28	10	223	218	98
4	Anaheim Ducks	PA	82	47	27	8	205	191	102
5	Dallas Stars	PA	82	45	30	7	242	207	97
6	Colorado Avalanche	NW	82	44	31	7	231	219	95
7	Calgary Flames	NW	82	42	30	10	229	227	94
8	Nashville Predators	CE	82	41	32	9	230	229	91
8.5
9	Edmonton Oilers	NW	82	41	35	6	235	251	88
10	Chicago Blackhawks	CE	82	40	34	8	239	235	88
11	Vancouver Canucks	NW	82	39	33	10	213	215	88
12	Phoenix Coyotes	PA	82	38	37	7	214	231	83
13	Columbus Blue Jackets	CE	82	34	36	12	193	218	80
14	St. Louis Blues	CE	82	33	36	13	205	237	79
15	Los Angeles Kings	PA	82	32	43	7	231	266	71

Divisions: PA – Pacific, CE – Central, NW – Northwest
bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, p – Presidents' Trophy winner

Schedule and results

2007-08 game log

October

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
1	October 4	Chicago	0 – 1	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	1–0–0	2
2	October 6	Columbus	2 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	2–0–0	4
3	October 10	Edmonton	0 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	3–0–0	6
4	October 13	Minnesota	3 – 2	Phoenix		Backstrom	12,088	4–0–0	8
5	October 14	Minnesota	2 – 0	Anaheim		Harding	17,174	5–0–0	10
6	October 16	Minnesota	3 – 4	Los Angeles	SO	Backstrom	14,239	5–0–1	11
7	October 20	Minnesota	3 – 1	St. Louis		Harding	19,150	6–0–1	13
8	October 21	Colorado	2 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	7–0–1	15
9	October 24	Minnesota	3 – 5	Calgary		Backstrom	19,289	7–1–1	15
10	October 25	Minnesota	4 – 5	Edmonton	SO	Harding	16,839	7–1–2	16
11	October 28	Minnesota	1 – 3	Colorado		Harding	17,041	7–2–2	16
12	October 30	Pittsburgh	4 – 2	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	7–3–2	16

November

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
13	November 1	St. Louis	3 – 2	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	7–4–2	16
14	November 3	Calgary	1 – 4	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	8–4–2	18
15	November 5	Edmonton	2 – 5	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	9–4–2	20
16	November 11	Minnesota	2 – 4	Colorado		Backstrom	15,434	9–5–2	20
17	November 13	Minnesota	2 – 3	Calgary		Backstrom	19,289	9–6–2	20
18	November 15	Minnesota	4 – 2	Edmonton		Backstrom	16,839	10–6–2	22
19	November 16	Minnesota	2 – 6	Vancouver		Harding	18,630	10–7–2	22
20	November 18	Colorado	1 – 4	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	11–7–2	24
21	November 21	Vancouver	4 – 2	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	11–8–2	24
22	November 23	Columbus	4 – 0	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	11–9–2	24
23	November 24	Minnesota	4 – 3	Nashville		Backstrom	12,639	12–9–2	26
24	November 28	Phoenix	1 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	13–9–2	28
25	November 30	St. Louis	2 – 3	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	14–9–2	30

December

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
26	December 2	Vancouver	1 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	15–9–2	32
27	December 5	Philadelphia	3 – 1	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	15–10–2	32
28	December 7	Minnesota	0 – 5	Detroit		Harding	19,508	15–11–2	32
29	December 8	Minnesota	2 – 1	Columbus		Backstrom	15,666	16–11–2	34
30	December 11	Minnesota	1 – 4	San Jose		Backstrom	17,064	16–12–2	34
31	December 14	Minnesota	5 – 2	Anaheim		Harding	17,174	17–12–2	36
32	December 15	Minnesota	2 – 1	Los Angeles		Harding	16,648	18–12–2	38
33	December 18	Nashville	2 – 3	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	19–12–2	40
34	December 20	N.Y. Rangers	3 – 6	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	20–12–2	42
35	December 22	Detroit	4 – 1	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	20–13–2	42
36	December 26	Minnesota	3 – 8	Dallas		Harding	18,532	20–14–2	42
37	December 27	Minnesota	3 – 2	Phoenix		Backstrom	13,756	21–14–2	44
38	December 29	Edmonton	4 – 5	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	22–14–2	46
39	December 31	San Jose	3 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	22–15–2	46

January

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
40	January 3	Dallas	3 – 6	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	23–15–2	48
41	January 5	Minnesota	1 – 4	Nashville		Harding	17,113	23–16–2	48
42	January 7	Minnesota	1 – 3	Dallas		Backstrom	17,502	23–17–2	48
43	January 10	Minnesota	6 – 5	Detroit	SO	Harding	17,848	24–17–2	50
44	January 11	Minnesota	5 – 2	Chicago		Harding	21,139	25–17–2	52
45	January 13	Phoenix	1 – 4	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	26–17–2	54
46	January 16	Calgary	3 – 2	Minnesota	SO	Backstrom	18,568	26–17–3	55
47	January 18	Anaheim	4 – 2	Minnesota		Harding	18,568	26–18–3	55
48	January 21	Minnesota	4 – 2	Vancouver		Backstrom	18,630	27–18–3	57
49	January 22	Minnesota	1 – 2	Calgary		Harding	19,289	27–19–3	57
50	January 24	Minnesota	3 – 2	Colorado		Backstrom	15,321	28–19–3	59
51	January 30	Anaheim	1 – 5	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	29–19–3	61

February

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
52	February 2	Minnesota	4 – 1	Columbus		Backstrom	18,529	30–19–3	63
53	February 5	Detroit	3 – 2	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	30–19–4	64
54	February 7	Dallas	1 – 0	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	30–20–4	64
55	February 9	NY Islanders	3 – 4	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	31–20–4	66
56	February 10	Minnesota	2 – 1	St. Louis	SO	Harding	16,477	32–20–4	68
57	February 12	Minnesota	2 – 4	Edmonton		Harding	16,839	32–21–4	68
58	February 14	Minnesota	5 – 4	Vancouver	SO	Backstrom	18,630	33–21–4	70
59	February 17	Nashville	4 – 5	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	34–21–4	72
60	February 19	Vancouver	3 – 2	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	34–21–5	73
61	February 20	Minnesota	0 – 3	Chicago		Harding	17,812	34–22–5	73
62	February 24	Calgary	2 – 1	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	34–23–5	73
63	February 26	Minnesota	1 – 4	Washington		Backstrom	17,391	34–24–5	73
64	February 27	Minnesota	3 – 2	Tampa Bay		Backstrom	17,211	35–24–5	75
65	February 29	Minnesota	3 – 2	Florida		Backstrom	16,927	36–24–5	77

March

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
66	March 2	Los Angeles	1 – 2	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	37–24–5	79
67	March 4	Chicago	4 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	37–25–5	79
68	March 6	Minnesota	2 – 3	Carolina		Harding	16,297	37–26–5	79
69	March 7	Minnesota	2 – 3	Atlanta	SO	Backstrom	18,709	37–26–6	80
70	March 9	San Jose	3 – 2	Minnesota	SO	Backstrom	18,568	37–26–7	81
71	March 13	New Jersey	4 – 3	Minnesota	SO	Backstrom	18,568	37–26–8	82
72	March 15	Los Angeles	0 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	38–26–8	84
73	March 17	Colorado	1 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	39–26–8	86
74	March 19	Minnesota	3 – 4	San Jose	SO	Backstrom	17,496	39–26–9	87
75	March 21	Minnesota	2 – 1	Vancouver		Backstrom	18,630	40–26–9	89
76	March 22	Minnesota	4 – 5	Calgary		Harding	19,289	40–27–9	89
77	March 24	Minnesota	3 – 5	Edmonton		Harding	16,839	40–28–9	89
78	March 26	Edmonton	1 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	41–28–9	91
79	March 28	Vancouver	0 – 4	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	42–28–9	93
80	March 30	Colorado	2 – 3	Minnesota	OT	Backstrom	18,568	43–28–9	95

April

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Pts
81	April 3	Calgary	1 – 3	Minnesota		Backstrom	18,568	44–28–9	97
82	April 6	Minnesota	3 – 4	Colorado	SO	Harding	18.007	44–28–10	98

Playoffs

The Wild clinched a playoff spot for the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, but lost in the Quarter-finals to the Colorado Avalanche, four games to two.

#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Series
1	April 9	Colorado	3 – 2	Minnesota	11:11 OT	Backstrom	19,352	0 – 1
2	April 11	Colorado	2 – 3	Minnesota	1:14 OT	Backstrom	19,360	1 – 1
3	April 14	Minnesota	3 – 2	Colorado	11:58 OT	Backstrom	18,007	2 – 1
4	April 15	Minnesota	1 – 5	Colorado		Backstrom	18,007	2 – 2
5	April 17	Colorado	3 – 2	Minnesota		Backstrom	19,364	2 – 3
6	April 19	Minnesota	1 – 2	Colorado		Backstrom	18,007	2 – 4

Player statistics

Marián Gáborík salutes Minnesota Wild fans immediately after his five-goal game against the New York Rangers (December 20, 2007)

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes

	Regular season					Playoffs
Player	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
Marian Gaborik	77	42	41	83	63	6	0	1	1	4
Pierre-Marc Bouchard	81	13	50	63	34	6	2	2	4	2
Brian Rolston	81	31	28	59	53	6	2	4	6	8
Pavol Demitra	68	15	39	54	24	6	1	2	3	2
Brent Burns	82	15	28	43	80	6	0	2	2	6
Mikko Koivu	57	11	31	42	42	6	4	1	5	4
Eric Belanger	75	13	24	37	30	6	0	0	0	4
Mark Parrish	66	16	14	30	16	1	0	0	0	0
Kim Johnsson	80	4	23	27	42	6	0	1	1	18
Kurtis Foster	56	7	12	19	37	0	0	0	0	0

Goaltenders

Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OT = Overtime/shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

	Regular season									Playoffs
Player	GP	TOI	W	L	OT	GA	SO	SV%	GAA	GP	TOI	W	L	GA	SO	SV%	GAA
Niklas Backstrom	58	3409	33	13	8	131	4	.920	2.31	6	361	2	4	17	0	.900	2.82
Josh Harding	29	1571	11	15	2	77	1	.908	2.94	1	20	0	0	0	0	1.000	0.00

Awards and records

Records

Milestones

Regular Season
Player	Milestone	Reached
Mikko Koivu	100th NHL PIM	October 6, 2007
James Sheppard	1st NHL Game	October 10, 2007
Brian Rolston	900th NHL Game	October 13, 2007
Mark Parrish	600th NHL Game	October 16, 2007
James Sheppard	1st NHL Assist 1st NHL Point	October 24, 2007
James Sheppard	1st NHL Goal	October 25, 2007
Cal Clutterbuck	1st NHL Game	October 28, 2007
Aaron Voros	1st NHL Game	November 11, 2007
Aaron Voros	1st NHL Goal	November 16, 2007
Jacques Lemaire	1000th NHL Game Coached	December 18, 2007
Marian Gaborik	5 Goal Game	December 20, 2007
	300th Sellout Game in a row	January 16, 2008
Keith Carney	1000th NHL Game	February 24, 2008
Marian Gaborik	400th NHL Point	March 7, 2008
Marian Gaborik	200th NHL Goal	March 15, 2008
Benoit Pouliot	1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Point	March 22, 2008
Marian Gaborik	40th Goal of Season Sets Franchise Record	March 30, 2008
Jacques Lemaire	500th Career Win	April 3, 2008
	1st Northwest Division Title	April 3, 2008

Transactions

The Wild have been involved in the following transactions during the 2007–08 season.

Trades

June 30, 2007

To Boston Bruins

Manny Fernandez

To Minnesota Wild

Petr Kalus
4th round pick in 2008

Free agents acquired

Player	Former team	Contract Terms
Eric Belanger	Atlanta Thrashers	3 years, $5.25 million
Nolan Schaefer	Pittsburgh Penguins	2 years, $1.2 million
Sean Hill	New York Islanders	1 year, $1.325 million

Free agents lost

Player	New team
Todd White	Atlanta Thrashers
Adam Hall	Pittsburgh Penguins

Draft picks

Minnesota's picks at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft in Columbus, Ohio.^[1]

Round	#	Player	Pos	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
1	16	Colton Gillies	C	Canada	Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
4	110	Justin Falk	D	Canada	Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
5	140	Cody Almond	C	Canada	Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
6	170	Harri Ilvonen	D	Finland	Tappara Jr. (Finland)
7	200	Carson McMillan	RW	Canada	Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Farm teams

References

Player stats: Minnesota Wild player stats on espn.com
Game log: Minnesota Wild game log on espn.com
Team standings: NHL standings on espn.com

^ 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com ^{[dead link]}

[1] 2007 NHL Entry Draft Results nhl.com ^{[dead link]}

[1]