So, you're sitting there, maybe checking the standings or just wondering if you have time to grab a beer before puck drop, and you need to know exactly when do the wild play next. It happens to all of us. The NHL schedule is a beast. One week you’re playing four games in six nights, and the next, it feels like the team has vanished into the witness protection program.
Right now, the Minnesota Wild are in the thick of a grueling stretch. If you’re looking at the immediate calendar for January 2026, the Wild are set to take the ice tonight, Saturday, January 17, against the Arizona Coyotes. It’s a road game at Mulberry Arena. Puck drop is scheduled for 8:00 PM CT.
But honestly? Just knowing the time isn't enough. Not this year.
Why Keeping Track of When Do the Wild Play Next Is Getting Complicated
The schedule makers didn't do Minnesota many favors this month. After tonight’s tilt in the desert, the boys head back home, but the turnaround is brutal. You’ve basically got a flight back to St. Paul, a few hours of sleep, and then you're prepping for a Monday night showdown.
Kirill Kaprizov is playing like a man possessed, but even "The Thrill" needs a breather. When you look at when do the wild play next, you have to factor in the travel fatigue. This is a veteran-heavy roster in spots, and those back-to-back flights across time zones start to show in the third period. If you’re betting on these games or just setting your fantasy lineup, pay attention to the goalie rotation. Usually, when the schedule is this compressed, John Hynes is going to split the starts between Filip Gustavsson and Marc-André Fleury—assuming "Flower" is still defying the laws of aging this week.
It’s kinda wild how much momentum dictates these stretches.
📖 Related: Clayton Kershaw Los Angeles Dodgers: Why the Ace Still Matters in 2026
One win can make a three-game road trip feel like a vacation. A couple of losses? Suddenly that flight from Phoenix to Minneapolis feels like it takes twenty hours. The Wild have been hovering around that wildcard spot, so every single one of these upcoming games carries the weight of a playoff atmosphere.
Breaking Down the Immediate Schedule
Let's get into the weeds of the next few days. Following the Arizona game tonight:
Monday, January 19: The Wild return to the Xcel Energy Center to host the Florida Panthers. That’s a 7:00 PM CT start. It’s a massive test. Florida plays a heavy, suffocating style that usually frustrates the Wild’s transition game.
Thursday, January 22: They stay home to face the Chicago Blackhawks. This is a "must-win" if there ever was one. You can't drop points against divisional rivals who are rebuilding, especially not in front of the State of Hockey crowd.
Saturday, January 24: A matinee game! 1:00 PM CT against the Nashville Predators. This is the one you want to circle. Nashville is always a thorn in Minnesota’s side, and those afternoon starts can be sluggish.
The rhythm of the season is basically a heartbeat. Thump-thump. Game-game. Rest. Thump-thump.
The Roster Factors Impacting the Schedule
Injuries are the invisible hand that guides the schedule. You can't talk about when do the wild play next without acknowledging who might actually be on the ice. Joel Eriksson Ek has been dealing with a nagging lower-body issue. If he’s out for that Florida game on Monday, the Wild lose their best defensive forward against a high-octane offense. That changes the "vibe" of the game entirely.
Brock Faber is another one to watch. The kid is playing massive minutes. We’re talking 25-plus minutes a night. When the games come fast—like three games in five days—the fatigue on a top-pairing defenseman is real. You’ll see it in the gap control. You’ll see it when he’s a half-second slow to a loose puck in the corner.
Watching the Standings Move
It’s tight. The Central Division is a meat grinder. Dallas and Colorado are usually parked at the top, leaving the Wild to scrap with Nashville and St. Louis for those remaining slots. Every time you ask when do the wild play next, you're really asking: "When is the next chance to climb the ladder?"
If they sweep this upcoming three-game homestand, they’re looking at a 90% chance of holding a playoff spot heading into February. If they drop two of three? The trade deadline rumors start swirling. And nobody wants to hear about trading away assets when we’re trying to make a run.
Where to Watch and How to Follow
Most games are still on Bally Sports North, or whatever the regional sports network is calling itself this week after the latest bankruptcy filing or rebranding. It’s a mess for fans, honestly. If you’re out of market, ESPN+ is your best friend, though the blackouts are a total headache.
Radio is still a vibe, though. Joe O’Donnell on the call is top-tier. Sometimes, if the TV broadcast is lagging or the announcers are getting on your nerves, muting the TV and cranking the radio is the way to go.
Strategy for the Next Four Games
Hynes needs to manage the bench. You can't ride the top line for 22 minutes every night when you have four games in seven days. Look for the "Gus Bus" to start tonight in Arizona, while Fleury likely gets the nod for the home opener against Florida.
The keys to victory for this specific stretch:
- Stay out of the box. The penalty kill has been "mid" at best lately.
- Second-line scoring. Matt Boldy needs to find the back of the net. We can't rely solely on Kaprizov's magic.
- Home ice advantage. The X needs to be loud.
Final Thoughts on the Upcoming Slate
Basically, the season is at a crossroads. This week determines if the Wild are buyers or sellers. It’s that simple. The talent is there, but the consistency is... well, it's the Minnesota Wild. We've seen this movie before.
If you are planning to attend any of these games, get there early. The pre-game festivities at the bars across from the Xcel are always worth the extra hour of traffic. Plus, you get to see the warmups, which is honestly the best time to see just how fast these guys actually move in person.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans:
- Sync Your Calendar: Go to the official Minnesota Wild website and use the "Sync to Calendar" feature. It automatically updates when game times shift for national broadcasts (looking at you, TNT and ESPN).
- Check Injury Reports: Follow beat writers like Michael Russo on social media. He usually has the line combinations and injury updates about two hours before anyone else.
- Verify Broadcasts: Double-check if the game is a "National Exclusive." If it's on ABC or TNT, your local Bally Sports app won't work, and you don't want to be scrambling for a login five minutes after the first whistle.
- Monitor the Standings: Keep a tab open for the NHL Wildcard race. In the Central Division, a single Tuesday night game in January can be the difference between a home-ice advantage or golfing in April.