ST. PAUL, Minn. — If the simmering on-ice rivalry between the Winnipeg Jets and Minnesota Wild reaches a feverish pitch this NHL season, it wouldn’t surprise Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau.
The Central Division rivals have developed a growing animosity toward each other in recent seasons, but that doesn’t mean they don’t respect each other.
"I think both teams realize they have to beat each other if they want to make the playoffs, and the proximity of Winnipeg to Minnesota — they usually have a lot of people travelling with them," said Boudreau.