MN Wild Playoff Games Not a Priority for Grand Casino Arena?
The Minnesota Wild open their second round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night. It’s the first time the State of Hockey’s professional men’s hockey team has made it beyond round one since 2014-15.
Maybe that’s why the City of St. Paul, which owns recently renamed Grand Casino Arena, booked a promotional Olympic figure skating event at the MN Wild’s home arena — in the middle of the NHL Playoffs — instead of leaving the May calendar a bit more open-ended.
Long break scheduled in Minnesota Wild Playoff series
Late Saturday, the NHL released its second round postseason schedule. And if you take a closer look between game two and game three of Wild vs Avs, you’ll notice a rare FOUR DAY break (May 5-9), when the series is scheduled to flip from Colorado to Minnesota.
SAME MISSION 😤.
— x – Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) May 3, 2026
full details » https://t.co/ot4lFv0UPI pic.twitter.com/mFZkBwdXRj
What in the world is going on at Grand Casino Arena this week that it doesn’t have time to host the most important playoff games the building has seen in over a decade?
According the official Grand Casino Arena events calendar, the Minnesota Frost (PWHL) have the ice booked for two semifinal playoff games of their own (May 5, 7), against the Montreal Victoire.
While there’s nothing currently scheduled on the GCA calendar for Friday, May 8, the arena has a promotional figure skating event, “Stifel Stars on Ice,” — featuring a bevy of 2026 Olympic Stars — scheduled for Sunday, May 10.
Grand Casino Arena has events on Thursday (PWHL) and Sunday (Figure Skating) that complicated things. https://t.co/Dk7Ulrb5MF
— Evan Rawal (@evanrawal) May 3, 2026
| Date | Time (CDT) | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tue, May 5 | 7:00 PM | Wild vs Avs (Gm 2) Frost vs Victoire (Gm 2) | Denver, CO Laval, QC |
| Wed, May 6 | |||
| Thu, May 7 | 6:00 PM | Frost vs Victoire (Gm 3) | GC Arena (St. Paul, MN) |
| Fri, May 8 | |||
| Sat, May 9 | 8:00 PM | Wild vs Avs (Gm 3) | GC Arena (St. Paul, MN) |
| Sun, May 10 | 4:00 PM | Stifel Stars on Ice | GC Arena (St. Paul, MN) |
| Mon, May 11 | TBA | Wild vs Avs (Gm 4) | GC Arena (St. Paul, MN) |
Latest Wild News: Injuries Threaten Minnesota’s Stanley Cup Dreams
First off, let’s just address the elephant in the room. Minnesota Wild playoff game should take precedent over whatever else the City of St. Paul has scheduled at Grand Casino Arena. The fact I am writing this is asinine.
However, since the City isn’t willing to move around the timing of a Frost playoff game or previously scheduled figure skating performance, the Wild probably had a couple options to choose from, and likely went with one long break, instead of an extra day between both games next weekend in St. Paul.
Should we be mad about this?
If you look at the calendar above, they could have played Game 3 on May 8, then Game 4 on May 11. My guess is that they, instead, chose to take advantage of the additional days to sneak in a longer break between games two and three, allowing them to then go back to the normal every-other-day schedule after that.
Still, it stinks for MN Wild fans who now have to wait impatiently for the most anticipated playoff game in St. Paul in at least 11 years. It’s possible the City could have pushed either the Frost’s playoff game, scheduled for Thursday (6 pm) to earlier that day.
They could have done the same with the Olympic figure skating on Sunday (4 pm). However, that show is completely sold out below the very upper ring of Grand Casino Arena.
Moving the time might have been too much for ticket-holders to accommodate this close to day of show. However, it is worth noting that other cities/venues have adjusted their “Stars on Ice”, just days before.
Our Toronto show has moved to May 2.
— Stars on Ice (@starsonice) April 30, 2026
Our Hamilton show has moved to May 19.
For more info: https://t.co/tn4IjeP7dH#SOI26 🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/yDF46oaAhi
#SOIFamily photo! 💙⛸️#SOI26 🇺🇸@chockolate02 @Evan_Bates @jasonbskates @the_quadg0d #AlysaLiu #IsabeauLevito @AmberGlenn_ @elliekamw @doshea213 @andrewtorg29 @christina_c_33 #AnthonyPonomarenko #EmileaZingas #VadymKolesnik pic.twitter.com/VDZFvxoe9d
— Stars on Ice (@starsonice) April 27, 2026
More Wild to Read: Players Shrug Off Historic Playoff Win
Either way, let’s look at the bright side. The Minnesota Wild continue to get more and more banged up as these playoff move along. The upcoming break could be timely for the Wild’s health.
Some would be surprised what a difference four days of rest, between games, can do for the healing process, vs two days. In the end, that’s probably why the MN Wild chose a long break, instead of playing Game 3 on May 8, and having two days of rest before games three and four..
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