EXCITEMENT FOR NHL PRESEASON GAME GROWS AS GAME DAY GETS CLOSER
Aug 24, 2018If you pay attention, the signs that hockey is just around the corner are all there. The kids are back in school. It’s cool enough for a jacket when the sun sets. Hockey teams across North America are starting to finalize training camp rosters.
And less than a month from now, Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues will play in the NHL Preseason Game at Wells Fargo Arena, presented by Mercy Medical Center, serving as a lynchpin event to kick off a new five-year lease extension between the club and the arena.
When the NHL Preseason Game between Minnesota and St. Louis was announced on Feb. 9, the fan reaction was astounding. It became the marquee game everyone wanted to attend. As the date gets closer and closer, tickets have continued to sell quickly, but there are still seats available.
What the game represents, though, is how the sport of hockey has grown in the last five years with the Wild in Central Iowa. This past season, Iowa averaged more than 6,000 fans at its games, the first time the organization broke the 6,000 plateau and another season with increased attendance. Participation in the Des Moines Youth Hockey Association continues to grow and the Wild’s Junior Crash Course received six times the amount of applications as it did for its inaugural year. Hockey is becoming more and more a part of the community and the excitement for the NHL Preseason Game has reflected that.
Heading into the NHL Preseason Game, fans are most excited about the two teams who will be playing in the game. Wild Head Coach Bruce Boudreau and new General Manager Paul Fenton have both stated fans should see a strong roster for the Wild in the game. Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues had a busy offseason, making this game the first of what should be many heated contests between the two clubs.
Within the rosters, there is a lot of intrigue. This game could be the first time Cal O’Reilly and brother Ryan O’Reilly share the same ice since the 2016-17 season and the first playing against each other since the 2011-12 season. It will also serve as the chance for Wild fans to catch a glimpse of new draft picks and free agent signings in the Wild sweater.
The NHL Preseason Game will be a sporting event unlike any other in the Des Moines region. It’s the first professional hockey game at Wells Fargo Arena and projects to be one of the highest attended professional sporting event in the arena’s and the city’s history.
In just a few short weeks, Minnesota Wild and the St. Louis Blues will compete in a preseason game right here in Des Moines. You’re not going to want to miss it.
To purchase tickets to the Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues NHL Preseason Game, presented by Mercy Medical Center, click here.