ST. PAUL, Minn. — Marián Gaborík got a quick tour of the Minnesota Wild’s practice facility at TRIA Rink on Tuesday and seemed blown away.
“We didn’t have all this when I was here,” he said, smiling.
Gaborík, 43, a member of the original Wild team and their first big star, was in town as part of the 25th anniversary season celebration. While Gaborík’s group didn’t have the plush facility, they had one thing a young generation of Minnesota players and fans haven’t experienced.
A long playoff run.
The Wild’s run to the Western Conference final in 2003 is one of Gaborík’s favorite memories from his nine years in Minnesota. They beat the star-studded Colorado Avalanche, then the Vancouver Canucks, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit against both, before running out of gas and getting swept by the Anaheim Ducks.
“It was amazing,” Gaborík said. “I remember coming home from Vancouver after we won a game, and in my driveway, kids or neighbors were there with chalk writing different messages. And coming back from the plane to the car, there were fans waiting at the airport. It was incredible. Nobody expected us to go that far. It was definitely special.
“I hope and I believe Wild fans can experience again something like this.”
the boys are back home pic.twitter.com/SZKBvCorQY
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 29, 2025
It’s been 22 years since that Gaborík-led run, and 10 years since the Wild last won a playoff series. But one of the bigger takeaways from the visits by Gaborík, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Stephane Veilleux and Brian Rolston was reflecting on the success of those early teams and what the Twin Cities would be like if it happened again.
“To be part of that, I will remember that all my life,” Bouchard said. “The atmosphere at the rink, outside the rink, it was unbelievable, and it was pretty special.”
Gaborík is still the franchise’s leading goal scorer (219), and many will never forget his five-goal game against the New York Rangers in 2007. While Gaborík went on to play for the Rangers and win a Stanley Cup with the Los Angeles Kings, his time with the Wild meant a lot to him.
Gaborík read the Wild lineup card before Tuesday’s game, was part of the ceremonial faceoff and visited with several players, including Kirill Kaprizov, in the morning. Kaprizov is 28 goals from passing Gaborík for the all-time Wild goals mark.
what Gabby said pic.twitter.com/RwIVZO6HCO
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 29, 2025
“Every place I played was special in some way, but this is close to my heart because I started here,” Gaborík said. “I spent nine years here, including (the) lockout. Things obviously didn’t end up the way everybody wanted, but it is what it is.
“Great memories. Made a lot of great friends here, which I still keep in touch with and other guys that I played with. Yeah, they were special nine years, for sure.”
Special day for special kid
Ten-year-old Weston Paszkiewicz, who has been battling leukemia, had quite the day Thursday when he signed a one-day contract with the Wild thanks to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He got his own jersey, his own stall and even got to play with the Wild during their morning skate. He scored goals, got pointers from players like Ryan Hartman and posed for pictures with everybody from Jared Spurgeon to Kaprizov.
In one of the sweetest experiences, future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury snuck him into the dressing room during pregame warmups where they played a series of practical jokes at Kaprizov’s changing-room stall, including cutting off the ends of his dress socks and putting Icy Hot in his boxers. Weston loved it.
Fleury asked Weston if they should prank other players, but Weston said, “Just Kirill.”
Weston and Flower really put the TRICK in trick or treat 🎃 pic.twitter.com/Np2vHPCr5b
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 31, 2025
After the Penguins won, general manager Kyle Dubas and captain Sidney Crosby arranged for Weston to come into their dressing room, where he was presented with their Hero of the Game helmet. Weston’s father could not have been more appreciative as Weston posed for a picture with the entire team.
Tonight’s player of the game helmet went to 10-year-old Weston Paszkiewicz, who’s battling leukemia and signed a one-day contract with the @mnwild through the Make-A-Wish Foundation 💛 pic.twitter.com/C5Ra5gFIG0
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 31, 2025
Tarasenko’s ‘good luck charm’
Vladimir Tarasenko broke out with a power-play goal and two assists during Saturday’s 5-2 win over Vancouver, with the goal coming in the first period – the only period his wife and three sons were at the game for.
Tarasenko’s oldest – 18-year-old stepson Mark Besedin – plays for the Dallas Junior Stars AAA team, who had a tournament for five days in Blaine. The start of the season had to be hard for Tarasenko with his wife and youngest two boys still in Florida and his oldest in Dallas, but with the entire family in Minnesota, they got to go trick-or-treating on Halloween and, on Sunday, Tarasenko attended Mark’s game.
“He’s my good luck charm, I guess,” Tarasenko said, since he had such a big game Saturday night. “My most important thing is to spend time with my family. I like my family together, and we had a chance to do it (Friday), and I’m looking forward to (Sunday).”
Eriksson-Ek and Tarasenko combine for an INSANE GOAL 🤯🚨 pic.twitter.com/AVJV7IuTOC
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 1, 2025
Mark ended up not starting Sunday’s game. The Stars play again Monday morning, but Tarasenko has practice at that time.
Tarasenko doesn’t exactly love being a goalie dad.
“So much easier when it’s a forward,” Tarasenko said. “It’s stressful. He’s always in the net for 60 minutes, so you always have to pay attention. I don’t know if he’ll be in the net Sunday, but I still will go for the game. I want to see his team. I watch all the games on LiveBarn, but I’ve never seen it live.”
Childhood friends now linemates
Hartman’s suspension last season landed childhood friend Vinnie Hinostroza in Minnesota after the Wild claimed him off waivers from Nashville. Linemates parts of late last season with Marcus Foligno, the Foligno-Hartman-Hinostroza trio is playing together again in recent days, and on Saturday night, Hinostroza assisted on Hartman’s empty-net goal like they were kids again.
“It’s cool to play together,” Hinostroza said. “It was special for us to start our career together (with the Chicago Blackhawks). And we could have never imagined playing on two teams together. It’s been cool and obviously both of us have kids now, so to get to do the little things like trick-or-treat. My oldest son was helping his little guy trick or treat (Friday), so it’s crazy. Full circle.”
Hinostroza’s sons Vinnie and Nash dressed as cowboys and his daughter Ella as a cowgirl. Hartman’s son, Keyes, dressed as a duck.
Hartman and Hinostroza, each 31, became friends at around 8 years old when they played on different mite teams — Hartman for the Crystal Lake Leafs and Hinostroza for the Chicago Blues. Hartman’s team beat Hinostroza’s team for a state AA mites championship.
They then played together for years on the Chicago Mission, where they won several state peewee and bantam titles. They even played football together on the Bloomingdale Bears. Hartman was a nose tackle, kicker and fullback, while Hinostroza played running back and outside linebacker.
They’ve been teammates in the world junior championships and with the Rockford IceHogs, Blackhawks and now Wild.
Hinostroza coast to coast pic.twitter.com/SXuBbVRInF
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 2, 2025
In addition to the empty-net assist, Hinostroza scored against Vancouver by going coast to coast.
“I think the lanes just kind of opened up for me there,” he said. “I’ve been feeling pretty good lately with my skating. I have to use that more to my advantage sometimes. But I don’t think I’ve done that for a while.”