Bill Guerin didn't celebrate like a man who just made history. After the Wild's 5-2 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday night at Grand Casino Arena—a win that punched their ticket to the second round for the first time in over a decade—the general manager remained composed. But that's the mark of a champion. Having lifted the Stanley Cup multiple times as a player, Guerin knows this is just one step on a long, grueling road paved with sweat, sacrifice, and determination.
Still, when the final buzzer sounded, Guerin allowed himself a moment. From his perch in the press box, he watched his team celebrate at center ice, the home crowd erupting in a cathartic roar. It was the kind of euphoria he's been chasing since arriving in Minnesota—and it was a long time coming.
What makes Guerin's transformation of the Wild so impressive is his relentless aggression. He didn't just tweak the roster; he overhauled it. And he did it with a stubborn belief in his vision. For that, he deserves his flowers.
The reshaping began quietly, about a year and a half after Guerin took the reins. In January 2021, he named veteran defenseman Jared Spurgeon captain, bypassing star forwards Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. In hindsight, that was a shot across the bow. After another first-round playoff exit, Guerin shocked the hockey world in July 2021 by buying out both Parise and Suter—a move that plunged the Wild into salary cap purgatory. But Guerin was willing to pay the price. He believed the team needed to turn the page, and he wasn't going to let a little financial pain stand in the way.
The results spoke quickly. The very next season, without Parise and Suter, the Wild set a franchise record with 113 points. Another first-round exit followed, but for the first time in years, the team felt like it was moving in the right direction.
That turning point coincided with Guerin's boldest moves. In March 2022, he traded a draft pick for future Hall of Fame goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. That June, he sent dynamic winger Kevin Fiala to Los Angeles for young defenseman Brock Faber. And in July 2022, he swapped veteran goalie Cam Talbot for unproven Filip Gustavsson. At the time, each deal raised eyebrows. Today, they look like masterstrokes.
Guerin hasn't been perfect—he gave up a haul of draft picks for defenseman David Jiricek—but his willingness to swing big, trust his instincts, and weather the storms has turned the Wild into a legitimate contender. And for that, he's earned every bit of the applause he's finally receiving.