The Minnesota Wild Foundation finished the 2025-2026 season with a record $2,111,247 in giving, a total that reflects both direct grants and raffle proceeds tied to local non-profits.
Scott Peterson, the Minnesota Wild Foundation Board Chair, pointed to the fans behind the number. “This year’s record giving is a testament to the incredible generosity of our fans across the State of Hockey," he said.
"This milestone wouldn't be possible without the passion our community brings to supporting the game we all love. On behalf of the Wild Foundation and our board of directors, we're grateful for this continued support and remain committed to investing in programs that make hockey accessible to families throughout Minnesota."
Of that total, the foundation distributed $1,228,500 in grants across a wide range of organizations. The list reached deep into Minnesota hockey, youth development, and community support, with 28 Minnesota youth hockey associations receiving $67,500 in program sales.
Several youth hockey groups picked up support through the Skate It Forward pilot program, including Anoka Youth Hockey at $18,500, Bloomington Jefferson Youth Hockey at $25,750, Delano Youth Hockey at $15,750, Langford Park Youth Hockey at $7,500, Mounds View - Irondale Youth Hockey at $36,750, Osseo Maple Grove Youth Hockey at $2,500, St. Paul Capitals at $25,000, Waseca Youth Hockey at $6,500, Willmar Youth Hockey at $9,250, and Winona Goodview Youth Hockey at $7,500.
The foundation also backed a long list of organizations with direct grants and special event proceeds. Among the larger awards were $150,000 to Children’s Minnesota Foundation from the proceeds of the annual Minnesota Wild Foundation Gala, $75,000 in annual support to Minnesota Hockey, $40,000 to St. Paul Parks and Conservancy, $36,750 to Mounds View - Irondale Youth Hockey from Skate It Forward, $30,000 to Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota, $30,000 to Minnesota Sled Hockey, and $25,000 in annual support to DinoMights.
Other recipients included Autism Society of Minnesota, Bemidji Youth Hockey, Blank Children’s Hospital on behalf of the Iowa Wild, the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities, the Child Loss Foundation, Children’s Cancer Research Fund, College Bound St. Paul, Crescent Cove, Detroit Lakes Youth Hockey, Duluth Amateur Hockey, Farmington Youth Hockey, Friends of St.
Paul Hockey, Gabe Fleming Memorial Scholarship Fund, Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare, Hastings Hockey Association, the Hendrickson Foundation, Hockey Ministries, Holding Tiny Hands, HopeKids Inc., International Falls Youth Hockey, the Jeremiah Program, Minneapolis Youth Hockey, Minnesota Blind Hockey, Minnesota Deaf and Hard of Hearing Hockey, Minnesota Special Hockey, Minnesota Warrior Hockey, Minute Men, the Minnesota Boys Hockey Coaches Association, the Minnesota Girls Hockey Coaches Association, Mosaic Hockey Collective, Mound Westonka Youth Hockey, New Directions, Owatonna Youth Hockey, Pinky Swear Foundation, Rogers Youth Hockey, Ronald McDonald House Charities - Upper Midwest, Rosemount Youth Hockey, Sauk Centre Youth Hockey, Sophie’s Squad, Special Olympics Minnesota, Spirit of Pella, Spring Lake Park Youth Hockey, St. Francis Youth Hockey, St.
Louis Park Youth Hockey, Twin Cities Pride, United Heroes League, and Washburn Center for Children.
The foundation’s support also included a handful of notable gifts tied to player milestones and event proceeds. Children’s Minnesota Foundation received an additional $5,000 from Marcus Johansson’s 1,000 th NHL Game gift, while the Jeremiah Program got $5,000 from Jared Spurgeon’s 1,000 th NHL Game gift. Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare received $5,000 from the Blaze Credit Union Hockey Kids 4 Kids match, and Minnesota Special Hockey received $15,000 from the Whiskey and Wine with the Wild event proceeds.
Separate from the grants, the Minnesota Wild Foundation said $882,747 was raised in raffle proceeds through its Split the Pot Raffle Program. Those funds were distributed among 24 local non-profits: Autism Society of Minnesota, Camp Odayin, Child Loss Foundation, Children's Cancer Research Fund, Crescent Cove, DinoMights, Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota, Fraser, Friends of St.
Paul Hockey, Hendrickson Foundation, Herb Brooks Foundation, Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation, HopeKids, Jack Jablonski Foundation, Make A Wish Minnesota, Minnesota Hockey, Ronald McDonald House Charities - Upper Midwest, Sophie's Squad, Special Olympics Minnesota, U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum, United Heroes League, Wishes & More, Women's Hockey Association of Minnesota, and Minnesota Wild Foundation.
In Other News...
Wild May Have One Roster Problem That Could Catch Up Fast
The Wild have enough established talent to stay in the mix in the Central Division, especially with Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber in place and the possibility of Quinn Hughes joining that core. On paper, that gives Minnesota the kind of top-end talent you need to hang with the Avalanche and Stars, and it keeps the immediate outlook looking competitive.
The concern is what comes next, because the organizations prospect base is thin enough that it may be hard to patch holes or swing meaningful deals without paying a premium. One recent evaluation pegged the system well outside the leagues upper tier, and Minnesota does not appear to have the kind of blue-chip depth that can be turned into a quick fix if the roster starts to strain. [Read more 🡒]
John Hynes Faces The Pressure Defining The Wilds Next Step
John Hynes arrived in Minnesota during the 2023-24 season and quickly gave the Wild something they had not had in years: a team that got beyond the first round of the playoffs. For a franchise that had been waiting since 2014-15 to clear that hurdle, it was a meaningful step and a reminder that the current core can still chase more than regular-season respectability.
Now the job gets harder. Hynes coaching history and the teams playoff track record only sharpen the question around what comes next, because the bar in Minnesota is no longer just getting in or surviving a round. With the Wild expecting more from the group they have built, Hynes is entering the kind of stretch where progress has to turn into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]