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2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild

Trey Daubert / NHL / April 20, 2025

2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview: Vegas Golden Knights vs. Minnesota Wild

We’re rolling right along with these 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs previews. I’m going to follow a format similar to the one Andrew did on the Leafs and Sens, but with a more condensed version. The Pacific-winning Vegas Golden Knights open up the playoffs with a first round matchup against the Minnesota Wild. We’ll make a case for each team why they can potentially advance to the next round.

Let me also mention this too before I get started. I’m not doing a preview on the Hurricanes / Devils series. Jersey doesn’t have a prayer so if you can’t find that series on the site, there’s your explanation.

Date	Game	Time (ET)
Sunday, April 20	1. Minnesota at Vegas	9:00 PM
Tuesday, April 22	2. Minnesota at Vegas	8:00 PM
Thursday, April 24	3. Vegas at Minnesota	10:00 PM
Saturday, April 26	4. Vegas at Minnesota	3:00 PM
*Tuesday, April 29	5. Minnesota at Vegas	TBD
*Thursday, May 1	6. Vegas at Minnesota	TBD
*Saturday, May 3	7. Minnesota at Vegas	TBD

The Case For Minnesota

The Wild are a totally different team when Kirill Kaprizov is in the lineup. Well, everyone is back for Minnesota now. He only played 41 games during the regular season. You can make the case that maybe Minnesota finishes higher in the standings if they have their horse for the whole season. The Wild have won 61% of their games with Kaprizov in the lineup.

Their top line has been dangerous. The Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson-Ek, and Kaprizov crew has outscored opponents 74-37.

They also have Filip Gustavsson in net, who was brilliant all season long, posting 2.56 GAA, .914 SV% in 58 games. The playoff track record isn’t there, but it’s not like the Wild limped in with a goalie they can’t trust. If they do have to make a change, having Marc-André Fleury go on a revenge tour isn’t the worst thing in the world either.

Minnesota also has a D core that can match what Vegas has. Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin is a quality top three. Then lump in super underrated Jake Middleton and young hot shot Zeev Buium, who is making his debut, to give them more of a shot in the arm.

Oh, and the last time these two teams played in the playoffs back in 2021, the series went 7 long games. Overlooking the Wild is probably a mistake.

The Case For Vegas

While it’s probably unwise to discount the Wild, it’s also hard to see the Knights blowing this series. It’s just not Minnesota’s year. This is the last year the Wild have $15 million in dead cap hanging over their heads. It’s a Wild team that feels like they need a year of playoff experience to potentially make a run in the future.

When you really dig into it, it’s hard to find a pathway for the Wild to win. Vegas is built for the postseason and is the second heaviest team in the league weight wise. Minnesota is the shortest and fifth-lightest team in the NHL.

The Golden Knights powerplay has also been lethal since adding Tomas Hertl ranking second in that mark during the regular season. The Wild rank 30th on the PK.

There’s no question that Vegas is the better team. They’re better down the middle with the best D core in the league. Minnesota can’t make the wave of centers Vegas will throw their way to put a wet blanket on their scoring attack.

By the way, Vegas won all three regular season meetings this year as well.