The Wild’s 2025-26 campaign will open Oct. 9 in St. Louis, with Columbus coming to St. Paul two days later as the Blue Jackets are the opponent for Minnesota’s home opener for the second straight season.

Minnesota’s 82-game schedule was released Wednesday, with the Wild now knowing the path to what they hope is another playoff appearance. An 84-game regular season is expected to go into effect in 2026-27.

Here’s what stands out:

Trips and stands

The Wild’s 2025-26 campaign is littered with lengthy road trips and equally long stretches in St. Paul.

Minnesota has a five-game swing that starts in Dallas and then darts up the East Coast in mid-October. The Wild then immediately return to St. Paul for six games at home. In fact, between Oct. 25-Nov. 19, they will play 10 of 12 in their home arena.

Late November to early December features a stretch that includes seven road games in a nine-game span, and it’s again immediately followed by four straight home games.

Minnesota has a seven-game trip along the West Coast as the calendar turns to 2026 while the World Juniors are taking place in St. Paul, and the Wild have four-game homestands in late January and mid-March.

Eight of Minnesota’s final 11 games of the season are on the road.

Olympics and back-to-backs

Minnesota will be off from Feb. 5-25 as the NHL season stops during the Winter Olympics. That stoppage condenses the rest of the schedule, which is part of the reason the Wild will play 13 back-to-backs this season. The Wild’s final two regular-season games, in fact, will be in St. Louis on April 13 and at home against Anaheim on April 14.

Notable games

>> Minnesota welcomes two-time defending Western Conference champion Edmonton to St. Paul just once this season, a Dec. 20 matinee. The Wild’s first shot at Vegas, which knocked Minnesota out in the first round last season, comes Nov. 16 in St. Paul.

>> Two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida’s lone pilgrimage to Minnesota is Jan. 24.

>> Toronto visits St. Paul on March 15. The Wild play host to Washington on Dec. 16 in what could potentially be Alex Ovechkin’s final trip to St. Paul.