It’s been a whirlwind year for Wild fans. The Fourth of July fireworks of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. The addition of new prospects to the lineup. Forty-eight games of seemingly must-win, action-packed games in front of sold-out crowds. And now fans, players, coaches and the front office can finally say it:

It’s time for playoff hockey.

It wasn’t easy. In the NHL, it never is. Taking a run at the Stanley Cup – or any tournament championship – requires much more than just skill. It’s a total team effort, and the Wild have proven themselves to the rest of the league that they belong.

So what’s gotten the hometown squad into the playoffs? Here are four key intangibles that all young athletes can strive for.

Leadership. Despite its young prospects making the leap to the NHL, the Wild have a very solid leadership corps that has paid dividends. Mikko Koivu has long been known as a general of this team. Parise served as the New Jersey Devils’ captain last year. Suter was an assistant captain for Nashville before wearing an “A” on his Wild sweater. The addition of Jason Pominville provided even more leadership to the squad. Pominville, acquired at the trade deadline, served as the captain of the Buffalo Sabres before joining the Wild.

But aside from those names, Moorhead’s own Matt Cullen is an invaluable veteran. Kyle Brodziak, Cal Clutterbuck, Pierre-Marc Bouchard and Niklas Backstrom have all been around for a long time and have been known as great teammates.

Look at the Wild bench during games and you’ll often see the veterans talking to the youngsters in the lineup. Great teams have great leaders. Great companies have great bosses. Strong leadership is a trait that will pay dividends in all areas of life.

Commitment. Sometimes hockey doesn’t go your way. Sometimes teams run into hot goalies. Sometimes players get injured. Whatever has happened to the Wild this season, they all have remained committed to the team systems set forth by the coaching staff.

Every role is important and every player needs to be committed to the team goal. As the Wild stared elimination in the face on Saturday, they played their game, won battles, played for each other and came out victorious

Resiliency. Even Stanley Cup champions experience losing streaks. The Wild are no different. But as head coach Mike Yeo likes to say, good teams respond to adversity. Minnesota experienced some turmoil, bad luck and injuries late in the season. They bounced back.

Whether it’s on the ice, at school or at work, everyone will face adversity. Failure is a part of life. Without it, we wouldn’t know how sweet success tastes.

Belief. If you don’t believe in yourself, your teammates or coaches, it will make accomplishing goals that much more difficult. This is true not only in hockey, but in every aspect of life.

The Wild believes they have what it takes to win it all. They’ve beaten the Presidents’ Trophy winning Chicago Blackhawks, the Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, San Jose Sharks and defending Stanley Cup Champion Los Angeles Kings this season already.

Lead by example and tell your teammates you believe in them. That attitude is contagious.

Minnesota Hockey Alums Fueling Wild Playoff Run

The four Minnesota natives on the Wild roster all played in Minnesota Hockey State Tournaments as youth hockey players. Now, they’re lacing up for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Zach Parise (Bloomington Jefferson Youth Hockey): Parise is everything the Wild could’ve hoped for. One of the best players in the National Hockey League. Tenacious, skilled, disciplined and a leader.

Matt Cullen (Moorhead Youth Hockey): It’s no coincidence that Wild struggled when Matt Cullen sat out a handful of games due to injury. His stabilizing force, speed and playmaking abilities made him a lynchpin as the second-line center.

Tom Gilbert (Bloomington Jefferson Youth Hockey): Tom Gilbert has provided both offensive output and shutdown presence on the blue line.

Nate Prosser (Elk River Youth Hockey): Whenever Prosser plays, the Wild seem to win games. He has played his role well and steps up when the team calls on him.

Twenty straight Wild games have been SOLD OUT! Don’t miss out on your opportunity next season by owning Season or Partial Season tickets. Ticket Plans start with only 10 games! $200 deposits are being taken right now to reserve your spot in line and pick our seats. Please email youthhockey@wild.com for more details.