Getting the Most Out of Minnesota Wild Outdoor Practice
Outdoor practice sessions for the Minnesota Wild are open to the public a few times during training camp, usually in mid-September at the Xcel Energy Center or the Winter Classic practice site. They run about 90 minutes, and the atmosphere is completely different from a game. Players are loose, coaches are lighter on corrections, and you're standing three feet from the glass while someone takes wrist shots at your face. I've been attending these sessions for over a decade now, and I still see the same mistakes made by first-timers. The main one is showing up without ear protection. Even in freezing weather, the sound of pucks hitting boards from point-blank range will leave you ringing for hours. I learned that the hard way during the 2016 camp when I didn't bother with plugs and spent the next two days hearing a high-pitched whine whenever I turned on the faucet.
Mn Wild Outdoor Practice: What to Expect
Session timing is usually announced on the team website about 48 hours before the event. Doors open 15 minutes before the posted start time. Arriving early gets you seats along the boards near the center ice line, which is where most of the skating and shooting drills happen. Arriving late means bleacher seats in the upper deck, and you'll miss the warmup skate that everyone watches for. The typical structure runs like this: players arrive, stretch, then do a lap or two around the ice. After that, the coaching staff puts them through stickhandling and passing drills in the neutral zone. That's when the actual shooting starts, and it goes on for about 40 minutes. Then there's a brief shift scrimmage, usually 3-on-3 or 4-on-4, before players head to the locker room. The whole thing is over faster than you'd think. One thing nobody warns you about is the cold. Even if the forecast says 40 degrees, standing still on an open rink for 90 minutes with wind chill off the ice will get to you. I stopped making that mistake after the 2019 camp when I wore a light jacket and spent half the session shivering instead of watching the players. Thermal layers and hand warmers in your pockets make a real difference. Not the cheap ones from the gas station. The brands with actual heat output for several hours.
Photography is allowed but there are unwritten rules. No flash. No climbing onto railings or seating structures. No using a monopod that blocks someone else's view. I once saw a guy get asked to leave because he was standing on the toe-kick along the boards, elevated about four inches above everyone else. Security doesn't negotiate on that one. If you want to actually see skill work rather than just watch players stand around, position yourself along the far boards near the blue line during the passing drills. That's where the younger players and practice squad guys do most of their rep work, and they're usually more engaged than the top-line veterans who are going through the motions out of habit. During a session last year, I noticed the team's third-line center working exclusively on his backhand release for nearly 20 minutes straight. You wouldn't catch that from the nose of the rink. Food and drinks are available inside but prices are what you'd expect at an arena. Bringing an empty water bottle is fine, and there are filling stations near each concession area. Snacks aren't permitted through security, so don't try to sneak in a granola bar. They check bags at the entrance now.
Get the Full Details
The practice session doesn't end with a formal announcement. Players usually skate one last lap, tap sticks with the coaches near center ice, and head directly to the locker room tunnel. If you want a quick handshake or photo, that's your window, and it lasts maybe 30 seconds before security guides everyone toward the exits. There's also a merchandise pop-up near the main concourse during outdoor practice days, and it typically carries items you won't find in the regular team store. I picked up a practice-specific jersey print there that had the player names but without any numbers on the back. It's a minor thing but worth noting if you're looking for something unique. One final note about parking. The lot closest to the arena fills by the time gates open. I've arrived 20 minutes early three different times and still had to circle twice for a spot. The garage on Kellogg Boulevard is a five-minute walk and almost always has space, even during sold-out games. On practice days it's basically empty. I take that route now and save myself 15 minutes of frustration every single time.
