Wild's Playoff Hopes Dampen After Crushing Loss to Predators

Minnesota falls 8 points behind in the wild-card race, facing critical challenges ahead of the trade deadline.

The Minnesota Wild suffered a significant 6-1 defeat against the Nashville Predators, marking their second consecutive loss and the Predators' seventh consecutive victory.
The loss places the Wild 8 points behind the Los Angeles Kings and Predators for the wild-card spots, significantly damaging their playoff aspirations.
Wild's performance was criticized for lack of competitiveness and failure to engage in hard areas of the game, with goaltender Filip Gustavsson underperforming.
The upcoming trade deadline adds pressure, with potential roster changes hinted by Wild's management amid performance concerns.
Despite the setback, the Wild aim for a quick turnaround in their next game against St. Louis, hoping to improve their standing.