Editing Minnesota Wild (section)

====Marian Gaborik era====
[[File:Jacques Lemaire.jpg|thumb|left|upright|On June 19, 2000, the Minnesota Wild named [[Jacques Lemaire]] as their first head coach.]]
The Wild named [[Jacques Lemaire]] their first head coach and the team picked [[Marián Gáborík|Marian Gaborik]] third overall in the first round of the [[2000 NHL entry draft]]. Gaborik scored the first-ever goal for the Wild in their franchise debut on October 6 at Anaheim.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/ducks-tame-wild-1.207952|title=Ducks tame Wild|date=October 7, 2000|accessdate=August 27, 2022|archive-date=August 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827041604/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/ducks-tame-wild-1.207952|url-status=live}}</ref> The Wild played their first-ever home game on October 11 against the [[Philadelphia Flyers]] and skated to a 3–3 tie.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wild-ties-flyers-in-home-debut/ | title=Wild Ties Flyers in Home Debut | website=[[CBS News]] | date=October 12, 2000 | access-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827041604/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wild-ties-flyers-in-home-debut/ | url-status=live}}</ref> Minnesota native [[Darby Hendrickson]] scored the first-ever home goal for the Wild. Before the game, it was announced the team would retire the number 1 jersey, their first number retirement, with no Wild player ever wearing it, to honor all Minnesota fans, who the team claimed were the ''true'' "number one" to them. The most notable game of the year was the first visit of the [[Dallas Stars]], who had formerly played in Minnesota as the [[Minnesota North Stars]]. The Wild rode an emotional sellout crowd of over 18,000 to a 6–0 shutout in Dallas' first regular season game in Minnesota since a neutral-site game in 1993.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stars-cant-go-home-again/ | title=Stars Can't Go Home Again | website=[[CBS News]] | date=December 17, 2000 | access-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827051524/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/stars-cant-go-home-again/ | url-status=live}}</ref> The season ended with [[Scott Pellerin]] as the leading scorer with 39 points while [[Wes Walz]], Darby Hendrickson and Gaborik paced the team with 18 goals each.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=season&seasonFrom=20002001&seasonTo=20002001&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.37&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=goals&page=0&pageSize=50|title=NHL Stats|access-date=August 27, 2022|archive-date=August 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827051529/https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=season&seasonFrom=20002001&seasonTo=20002001&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.37&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=goals&page=0&pageSize=50|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="GaborikCareerStats">{{cite web|url=https://www.nhl.com/player/marian-gaborik-8468483#stats|title=Marian Gaborik Stats and News|access-date=August 27, 2022|archive-date=August 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827051526/https://www.nhl.com/player/marian-gaborik-8468483#stats|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Wild got off to a strong start in the [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02 season]] by earning at least one point in its first seven games. However, the Wild finished in last place again with a record of 26–35–12–6. En route, there were signs the Wild were improving, as second-year speedster Gaborik had a solid sophomore season with 30 goals, including an invite to the [[NHL YoungStars Game]], and [[Andrew Brunette]] led the team in scoring with 69 points.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=season&seasonFrom=20012002&seasonTo=20012002&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.37&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=points,goals,assists&page=0&pageSize=50 | title=NHL Stats | access-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827063438/https://www.nhl.com/stats/skaters?reportType=season&seasonFrom=20012002&seasonTo=20012002&gameType=2&playerPlayedFor=franchise.37&filter=gamesPlayed,gte,1&sort=points,goals,assists&page=0&pageSize=50 | url-status=live}}</ref>

Gaborik spent much of the [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03 season]] vying for the league scoring crown before slumping in the second half, and the Wild, in their first-ever playoff appearance, made it to the conference finals before being swept 4–0 by the [[Anaheim Ducks|Mighty Ducks of Anaheim]]. Previously, the Wild had beaten the favored and third-seeded [[Colorado Avalanche]] in the first round in seven games, coming back from a 3–1 series deficit and winning both game 6 and 7 in overtime. Brunette scored the series-clinching goal, the last on [[Patrick Roy]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/a-goal-to-remember/c-669215 | title=A Goal to Remember | access-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827063438/https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/a-goal-to-remember/c-669215 | url-status=live}}</ref> In the conference semifinals, the Wild beat the fourth-seeded [[Vancouver Canucks]], again in seven games, and again after being down 3–1 in a series. In the process, the Wild became the first team in playoff history to capture a seven-game series twice after facing elimination during game 5.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/2003-bertuzzi-trash-talk-073120/c-317746278 | title=Once upon a time, Canuck's trash talk helped Wild turn tide, make history | date=July 31, 2020 | access-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-date=August 27, 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220827063439/https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/2003-bertuzzi-trash-talk-073120/c-317746278 | url-status=live}}</ref>

When the 2003–04 season started, the Wild were short-handed with both [[Pascal Dupuis]] and Gaborik holding out. After struggling in the first month, the Wild finally got their two young star left-wingers signed, but both struggled to get back into game shape as the Wild struggled through much of November. In a deep hole, the Wild did not make it to the playoffs, despite finishing the season strong, with wins in five of their last six games as they finished last in the competitive [[Northwest Division (NHL)|Northwest Division]] with a record of 30–29–20–3.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/2004.html | title=2003-04 Minnesota Wild Roster and Statistics | access-date=January 26, 2018 | archive-date=February 22, 2018 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180222165359/https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/MIN/2004.html | url-status=live}}</ref> Along the way, the Wild began to gear up for the future, trading away several of their older players who were a part of the franchise from the beginning, including [[Brad Bombardir]] and [[Jim Dowd (hockey player)|Jim Dowd]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/72894536/brad-bombardir-traded-to-predators/|title=From prey to Predators|newspaper=The Province|date=March 7, 2004|accessdate=June 1, 2024|via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=1750850|title=Wild get fourth-round pick from Habs|publisher=ESPN Enterprises Inc.|date=March 4, 2004|website=ESPN.com|accessdate=June 1, 2024}}</ref>

The 2004–05 season was canceled due to an [[2004–05 NHL lockout|NHL lockout]]. Former Wild player [[Sergejs Žoltoks|Sergei Zholtok]] died from a heart condition during a game in Europe. Zholtok died in the arms of Minnesotan and former Wild player [[Darby Hendrickson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nhl.com/intheslot/read/features/zholtok110404_cms.html|title=NHL mourns passing of Zholtok|access-date=April 25, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514031140/http://www.nhl.com/intheslot/read/features/zholtok110404_cms.html|archive-date=May 14, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>