From the Minnesota North Stars to the Wild (and everything in between) – For the Love of Hockey

In the winter when I was a kid, our backyard became something magical. Dad made us a hockey rink – complete with sideboards, painted lines, and he even made the goals. It was perfect. And it was the start of my love of hockey (thanks, Dad).

My Dad was always a coach – mostly of little league baseball – and he loved all sports. But I think he loved hockey the most. After building one of the most professional backyard ice rinks ever, Dad taught us how to play hockey right there in our backyard. He taught us how to hold the stick, how to pass, how to keep our heads up, and how to love the game – even when we fell hard on the ice.

In addition to playing hockey, I watched the Minnesota North Stars with my Dad as a little kid. Dad taught me about the players and their plays. He taught me how to watch, not just look. How to follow the puck through traffic, how to anticipate a play before it unfolded, and how to notice the small details that make hockey beautiful. Together we watched the Minnesota North Stars, and in those hours, I learned that hockey wasn’t just a sport – it was a language, a rhythm, a way of loving something together. I remember how Dad would “skate” his feet while watching the game, as if he were right there on the ice with the players. When I was a teenager, I started watching hockey with friends. Hockey wasn’t something I watched just once in a while, it was part of who I was.

Even though I never got to meet any of the North Star players in person, I felt connected to them – they were almost like people I knew – and in a way, I DID know them. Some of the players I remember watching as a kid were Bill Goldsworthy, Jean-Paul Parise, Lou Nanne, Cesare Maniago, Gump Worsley, Bobby Smith, Steve Payne, Brad Maxwell, Jack Carlson, Giles Meloche, Craig Hartsburg, Curt Giles, Dino Ciccarelli, Neal Broten, Don Beaupre, Brian Bellows, Gordie Roberts, Willi Plett, Dennis Maruk, Brian Lawton, Mike Modano, Basil McRae, Gaetan Duchesne, Ulf Dahlen. Of course, there were many other players, but these are the players I remember most. I also remember many of the refs – Dan Marouelli definitely did not like the Stars (and the Stars fans definitely didn’t like him).

I started playing hockey on a boys team (there were no girls teams at the time) at the age of 5. When I was a teenager and into my early 20s, I played on a men’s ‘just-for-fun’ league as a goalie (and I have the ruined knees to prove it). I grew up with the game, and the game grew with me. When I laced up my own skates, it felt natural to take my place in the crease. As a goalie, I learned patience and courage, how to read shooters and trust my instincts, how to stand firm when the game came rushing toward me at full speed. The position suited me: thoughtful, resilient, quietly intense. I loved playing goalie. The excitement of watching that puck come hurdling through the air at me, as I did everything within my power to protect the net and not let the puck enter was thrilling. Of course, I liked playing pond hockey, too – any position – but being a goalie was something I really loved. I used to have dreams of taking shots on Donny Beaupre, and learning from him.

One New Year’s Eve in the early ’80s, after attending a North Stars game, we ran into several of the players at The Pacific Club downtown Minneapolis. I was “Star” struck (pun intended). I was having fun dancing on the dance floor among the Stars – but too star-struck to meet them. I did meet Lou Nanne once – and it was great. It was when I worked a temporary job downtown and the man I worked for was friends with Lou. Lou arrived in the office one day to have lunch with my boss. I got to talk to Lou for a short time about hockey – it was something I’ll always remember. You just have to love Lou Nanne.

I loved watching the North Stars – and while I’d never met the players in person – I knew them. I knew their skills, their styles of play, and their weaknesses. Neal Broten was one of my favorite players – and yes, I had a crush on him, too. One year for Christmas, my parents gave me a Neal Broten jersey – I was thrilled to have it! Another Christmas, my brother gave me a first-year Neal Broten trading card – it was very special to me. I still have this jersey and card, and still cherish them.

Like most Minnesotans, I was devastated when we lost our North Stars. The state of hockey – and no team of our own. I guess I rebelled for several years – I’d watch hockey once in a while,  and I still knew many of the players from other teams, but with no team of our own, it just wasn’t the same. And then we got the Wild. I was leery at first – how could a NEW team just suddenly be as important and revered as our North Stars? I went to the first Wild versus Dallas Stars game – what mixed emotions I had! Do I still root for the Stars (many of the players were OUR old players), or do I root for the new Wild team? It took a little while, but I finally came to love our new Wild team. Over the years, I’ve gotten to know the players and their abilities, and that just makes watching them play all the better. I feel vested in this team – almost like I’m a part of them. I love getting to know the players – not just their highlight-reel strengths, but their habits, tendencies, and even their weaknesses. I notice who thrives under pressure, who struggles on a bad night, who makes the smart, unselfish play that never shows up on the stat sheet. To me, this knowledge is part of the joy. It makes each game richer, more personal.

I’m proud of our guys, and can only imagine how proud their families must be of them. Some of my favorite Wild players have been Manny Fernandez, Marian Gaborik, Brad Bombardir, Wes Walz, Brian Rolston, Mikko Koivu, Marc-Andre Bergeron, Niklas Backstrom, Jared Spurgeon, Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Jonas Brodin, Nino Niederreiter, Matt Dumba, Ryan Carter, Darcy Kuemper, Joel Eriksson Ek, Marcus Foligno, Marco Rossi, Mats Zuccarello, Ryan Hartman, Kirill Kaprizov, Marcus Johansson, Jake Middleton, Filip Gustavsson,  Jesper Wallstedt, Zack Bogosian, Yakov Trenin, Vinny Hinostroza, Vladimir Tarasenko, Danila Yurov, Matt Boldy, Brock Faber, Quinn Hughes, and of course, Marc-Andre Fleury. Wow. What an amazing group of players we’ve had!!!

I’m a mom of three boys, and when our boys were born, I always thought they’d be hockey players. I was looking forward to being a “hockey mom”. But for some reason, our kids never took to hockey – and that’s okay. So instead of watching my own kids play, I watch every Wild game and root for the guys on the ice. Sometimes I imagine what it would be like to share the ice with our team —to test myself against their speed and skill, to feel the thump of a shot I barely caught, to be part of that living, breathing chess match. Other times, I picture myself behind the bench, coaching—helping players refine their instincts, encouraging them through slumps, seeing the game from yet another angle. Hockey invites me to dream in possibilities.

While I don’t have season tickets and have only been to a handful of live games in my life, watching our guys play on TV is the highlight of the week for me. The familiar sounds – the scrape of blades, the crack of a slapshot, the roar of the crowd – fill the room and fill my heart. The players bring the game to life, and through their effort and artistry, hockey remains special, comforting, and endlessly exciting.

Of course, I love when our team wins a game, but I enjoy watching them even when they don’t win. One of the things I love most about our guys is that they really are just guys – and I believe their personalities show – both on the ice and in the videos the Wild marketing team is so great at putting together. They’re not just athletes, they’re hardworking, down-to-earth, and genuinely likable guys. The kind of people you’d want to sit next to, talk hockey with, or just hang out and laugh. That connection is what keeps the game special. Someday, maybe I’ll get a chance to meet the players in person (wouldn’t that be amazing?!?!), but until then, I just enjoying watching them play from home.

To say I have loved hockey most of my life is NOT an understatement. It’s the one sport I truly love, and the one that has such a special meaning to me. It started with a Dad and a daughter sitting together, and a love built on shared moments, frozen backyard rinks, and the enduring joy of hockey. Thanks to my Dad and that backyard rink. And thanks to all the players who have made the fans feel like we are part of their team.

Is a Stanley Cup in the future for the Minnesota Wild? Perhaps. It would be spectacular to watch that happen. But even if it doesn’t work out that way, I still appreciate the hard work and skills of our team, and enjoy watching them play.

Let’s go WILD! Thanks for all you do.