Pregame analysis and predictions of the Colorado Avalanche vs. Minnesota Wild NHL game to be played on December 21, 2025 on ESPN.

Instead of chasing superstars, the Wild masterfully contained McDavid through strategic matchups, proving restraint truly beats pure reaction.

Join us at 6 p.m. Friday on CBS affiliates across Montana for “Brawl of the Wild: The Rematch” from Scripps Sports, the official broadcast partner of the Big Sky Conference.

In last week's NHL Power Rankings, I wrote about how the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are simply on another level than everyone else. Then the red-hot Minnesota Wild swung a blockbuster deal for Quinn Hughes, but was that enough to close the gap?

After pulling off a stunning trade for one of the top defensemen in the league last week, plenty of fans and people around the NHL have questioned whether the Wild are done making moves. At least one prominent league insider doesn't think Wild general manager Bill Guerin is done adding to a roster that looks ready to compete for a Stanley Cup.

Our preview show breaks down down both teams and looks at how they can punch their ticket to Nashville and the national championship.

The Wild's trade to get Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks is everything the Vikings' Herschel Walker trade was supposed to be.

That scenario would be a blow to the Wild, who gave up former first-round picks Marco Rossi, Zeev Buium, Liam Ohgren, and an unprotected first-round pick in 2026 to get Hughes. Unless Minnesota wins the Stanley Cup with Hughes, the trade might not look like such a sweeping win for the Wild.

Don't ever mention trading for Sidney Crosby. The Pittsburgh Penguins have missed the playoffs three straight seasons and are going on an eighth-straight year of not winning a playoff round. All through that,