It’s Okay to Pretend the Wild Are Going To Make Playoffs
Look, we all know that the Minnesota Wild aren’t going to make the playoffs. Sure, there is still a chance mathematically. They haven’t technically been eliminated, but it would take a legitimate miracle or a terrible tragedy to befall another team for the Wild to make the cut.
As a fan of a team that has been to the playoffs for the past four years and for 10 out of the last 11, it feels strange. Do you mean hockey ends this early? Sure, Wild fans can pick another team to root for in the playoffs, but there is one other way to deal with the end of the NHL season.
By pretending that the Wild will make the playoffs!
Now, don’t let me lose you. Hear me out! It’s okay to trick yourself into a small amount of delusional thinking. Personally, this is the only way for me to watch the rest of this season’s games. We’ve been blessed by a team that consistently makes the playoffs, even if they can’t get past the first round. It feels strange to watch another six games, knowing full well that there’s nothing for them to compete for.
But plenty of teams out there haven’t been to the playoffs for years or make the playoffs inconsistently. Teams that are in full burn-it-to-the-ground rebuilds still have die-hard fans because that is what being a fan is all about. The Anaheim Ducks, the Chicago Blackhawks, and the San Jose Sharks still all have fan bases despite everyone knowing that they will finish this season at the bottom of the league.
To be a true fan, you’ve got to believe in your team and stick with them through good times and bad. It’s like being married but in a less personal, very specific way. You have to trust in your team like you have trust in your spouse. It doesn’t mean ignoring the bad parts. It means acknowledging them and understanding that it takes time to make changes.
Some of you are probably thinking, I can’t just force myself to pretend that the Wild are a playoff team?! I don’t want to be delulu! Fair enough. Not everyone remembers how to use their imagination once they’re a full-blown adult. You can do a few other things if you just can’t bring yourself to pretend or even watch the Wild.
First of all, keep your eye on the Iowa Wild. They’re battling for a playoff spot and have many of Minnesota’s important prospects for fans to watch. Besides Jesper Wallstedt, Liam Ohgren recently joined the team from Sweden. Carson Lambos is there along with Daemon Hunt, who we watched with the Wild for a short stint. Minnesota’s other favorite son, Sammy Walker, is still playing in Des Moines, along with St. Cloud State’s Jack Peart, who joined Iowa after his college season was over.
