Lapa
Global Moderator
- Feb 21, 2010
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The Wild opens its 20th season on Thursday night when it opens the 2020-21 regular season against the "division" rival Los Angeles Kings at the Staples Center.
Minnesota and L.A. will share a division in hockey for the first time, going back even to the North Stars days. The arrangement is temporary, as COVID-19 has forced the creation of an All-Canadian division, which has shuffled teams in the United States as well.
The Wild and Blues are the only teams from the Central Time Zone to be in the new 'West' Division, joining normal Central Division opponent Colorado and Pacific teams Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose, Arizona and Vegas.
As division mates this season, the Wild and Kings will play eight times in all, including the first and second games of the season. The two clubs will get all of their meetings out of the way early; Minnesota and Los Angeles will play all eight of their contests by the end of February.
Goaltender Cam Talbot is expected to start for the Wild. Signed by Minnesota to a three-year contract last July 1, it will be Talbot's first start in a Wild uniform. He is 7-9-0 with a 2.81 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage in 18 games (16 starts) in his career against the Kings.
Wild Warmup: Minnesota at Los Angeles