MN Wild Splitting Up Practice to Keep Avalanche Off Ice?
Tonight, the Minnesota Wild will attempt to tie up their second round playoff series against the Colorado Avalanche at 2-2, before the postseason festivities flip back to Denver on Wednesday.
Most Wild players took the TRIA Rink ice for their morning skate Monday, like normal. However, Minnesota’s “Black Aces” were practicing elsewhere… over at Grand Casino Arena, to be specific. Normally, those guys would skate before their teammates.
Apparently, for the second time in this series, the MN Wild sent the team’s emergency players from AHL Iowa to their game arena for pregame skate. Why would head coach John Hynes and president of hockey operations Bill Guerin make such a move, you ask?
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It appears, according Avs reporter Jesse Montano (Gorilla Sports) and confirmed by Michael Russo (The Athletic) it’s a gamesmanship tactic. He “presumes” the Wild are clogging up the Grand Casino Arena ice so Colorado can’t get on it prior to their scheduled practice time.
The Minnesota Wild do morning skate at their practice facility, but for the second game in a row, their scratches are skating at the game rink. Presumably, to ensure the Avs don’t get on the ice early pic.twitter.com/6JvQ8FamVi
— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) May 11, 2026
Those are technically their Black Aces. The scratches skate at TRIA after their skate. But you’re probably right for the reason.
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) May 11, 2026
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Normally, Avalanche players would filter onto the ice before their allotted practice time, to get extra work in. That’s only possible because the Minnesota Wild — including inactive players — are all at TRIA Rink.
And Montano believes that to be the sole reason why Minnesota has been sending some guys to Grand Casino Arena for morning skates during this series. Because if MN Wild players are on the ice, Colorado players can’t get early work in.
I have to admit, I absolutely love this type of postseason pettiness. Eventually, the Avalanche were able to get on the ice for their regularly scheduled practice session.
Game 4🔜#goavsgo #mnwild pic.twitter.com/rKam65iu6q
— Guerilla Sports (@guerillasports) May 11, 2026
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