So this is how the other half lives.
The next six months are a mere formality and do not concern the Minnesota Wild. During this time the scruffs of the National Hockey League will fight to squeeze into the playoffs. They'll scrape and claw and go through incredible series of plateaus and gutters. There will be groans and snickers and enough tension to wear out even the most loyal fans.
How sad for those teams. They are like the Wild used to be for, well, forever right up until now. Minnesota is above all that these days.