Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings: 2024-25 NHL Season Preview & Key Insights As the new NHL season kicks off, the rivalry between the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings is set to deliver another thrilling chapter. Their upcoming matchups carry extra weight, built on last season’s tactical battles and standout player performances that laid the groundwork for a compelling 2024-25 series.
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Los Angeles Kings Standout Players
2024 NHL Updates Minnesota Wild
Wild vs Kings Recap
In last season’s three-game showdown, the Los Angeles Kings claimed a 2-1 series edge:
Series Opener: At Grand Casino Arena, the Kings dominated with a 5-1 victory, setting an early tone for the rivalry.
Second Matchup: On home ice, Los Angeles extended its win streak with a 4-1 triumph over the Wild.
Final Game: The Minnesota Wild bounced back, showcasing resilience with a 3-1 win in Saint Paul to split the latter half of the series.
Top Performers
Minnesota Wild Key Players
Ryan Hartman (Center): Led the Wild in the series with 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists), driving offensive momentum.
Zach Bogosian (Defenseman) & Jared Spurgeon (Defenseman): Each contributed 2 points (Bogosian: 1G, 1A; Spurgeon: 2A) to stabilize the blue line.
Goaltending: Filip Gustavsson: Started 2 games, posting a 1-1-0 record with a 2.51 GAA and .911 save percentage.
Marc-André Fleury: Shined in the second contest, stopping 30 of 32 shots to keep the Wild competitive.
Los Angeles Kings Standout Players
Trevor Moore (Left Wing): Topped all scorers in the series with 4 points (2 goals, 2 assists), leading the Kings’ attack.
3-Point Contributors: Alex Laferriere (1G, 2A), Kevin Fiala (1G, 2A), and Adrian Kempe (2G, 1A) each played pivotal offensive roles.
Goaltending: David Rittich: Secured the opening win with a stellar performance, turning away 23 of 24 shots.
Darcy Kuemper: Boasted a 1-1-0 record in 2 starts, with an impressive 1.53 GAA and .932 save percentage.
NHL Head-to-Head Stats
Minnesota Wild
Vladimir Tarasenko: The most productive Wild player against the Kings, with 27 points (12G, 15A) in 30 career matchups.
Mats Zuccarello: Tallied 19 points (6G, 13A) across 31 games vs Los Angeles.
Kirill Kaprizov: Notched 17 points (10G, 7A) in just 19 career meetings.
Marcus Johansson & Jared Spurgeon: Each contributed 15 points (Johansson: 8G, 7A in 28 games; Spurgeon: 4G, 11A in 42 games).
Los Angeles Kings
Anze Kopitar (Center): Dominates the rivalry with 59 points (17G, 42A) in 68 career games against the Wild.
Corey Perry: Amassed 45 points (24G, 21A) through 57 matchups.
Drew Doughty (Defenseman): Compiled 38 points (7G, 31A) in 56 games vs Minnesota.
Adrian Kempe & Trevor Moore: Kempe recorded 19 points (8G, 11A) in 29 games; Moore added 13 points (6G, 7A) across 23 contests.
Team Relationships
The two teams share several historical ties:
Frederic Chabot (Wild Goaltending Coach): Played 12 games for the Kings during the 1997-98 NHL season.
Jake Middleton (Wild Defenseman): Originally drafted by Los Angeles in the 7th round of the 2014 NHL Draft.
Brock Faber (Wild Defenseman): Selected by the Kings in the 2nd round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Kevin Fiala (Kings Forward): Spent 3 seasons (2019-22) with the Wild, appearing in 215 games and tallying 186 points (79G, 107A).
Darcy Kuemper (Kings Goaltender): Drafted by Minnesota in the 6th round of the 2009 NHL Draft and played 5 seasons for the Wild.
Mikey Anderson (Kings Defenseman): A native of Fridley, Minnesota, who developed through the state’s youth hockey system.
Home Ice Advantage
The Minnesota Wild hold a strong home-ice edge in the rivalry. Dating back to March 28, 2015, they’ve posted a 13-4-1 record in their last 18 home games against the Los Angeles Kings in Saint Paul—a key factor to watch in upcoming matchups.
2024 NHL Updates Minnesota Wild
The Wild made strategic moves to strengthen their roster ahead of the new season:
September 25: Unveiled their 25th Anniversary jersey and announced special theme nights for the 2024-25 campaign.
September 30: Secured core forward Kirill Kaprizov with an 8-year contract extension, locking in their top scorer.
October 4: Signed goaltender Filip Gustavsson to a 5-year extension, solidifying the team’s goaltending stability.
2024-25 NHL Matchup Preview
The first Minnesota Wild vs Los Angeles Kings game of the new season will hinge on these critical factors:
Goaltending duels (Gustavsson/Fleury vs Rittich/Kuemper)
Special teams efficiency (power play and penalty kill success rates)
Consistency from historical top performers (Kaprizov, Kopitar, Moore)
Impact of offseason roster changes on team chemistry
Minnesota’s home-ice advantage in Saint Paul
This rivalry remains one of the Western Conference’s most underrated matchups. As both teams establish their identity early in the 2024-25 NHL season, their first meeting could set the tone for the entire series.
Statistical data sourced from official NHL game records. Team rosters and game outcomes are subject to change. For the latest updates, refer to official NHL platforms.
