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Can the Wild chase down the Stars for home-ice advantage?

Originally posted on Bring Me The News | By Joe Nelson | Last updated Mar 30, 2026 10:35 AM ET

With eight games left in the regular season, the Minnesota Wild and Dallas Stars are all but assured of facing each other in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The question really isn't if they'll meet, but who will have the home-ice advantage.

Entering play Monday, Minnesota and Dallas have each played 74 games. The Wild (41-21-12) have 94 points, six behind the Stars (44-18-12). Colorado, with 106 points, has two games in hand, making them a cinch to clinch the Central Division and the No. 1 overall seed in the Western Conference.

It won't be easy for the Wild to chase down the Stars, but it's possible.

First, the Stars have a more difficult remaining schedule. According to Tankathon, the Stars' have the third-hardest remaining schedule in the West, with an opponents' win percentage of .577. Minnesota sits in the middle of the 16-team West, with the eighth-easiest remaining schedule based on an opponents' win percentage of .543.

Of Dallas' final eight opponents, four are currently in the playoff picture. Additionally, the Stars are at home, where they're 22-10-4 this season, in five of their last eight games.

Mar. 31: at Boston (92 points)
Apr. 2: vs. Winnipeg (74 points)
Apr. 4: vs. Colorado (106 points)
Apr. 7: vs. Calgary (70 points)
Apr. 9: vs. Minnesota (94 points)
Apr. 11: vs. NY Rangers (69 points)
Apr. 13: at Toronto (75 points)
Apr. 15: at Buffalo (98 points)

Of Minnesota's final eight foes, only two are currently in the playoff picture, though that comes with a caveat. Additionally, the Wild are on the road, where they are 21-11-4 this season, for five of their last eight games.

Apr. 2: vs. Vancouver (50 points)
Apr. 4: at Ottawa (86 points)
Apr. 5: at Detroit (86 points)
Apr. 7: vs. Seattle (75 points)
Apr. 9: at Dallas (100 points)
Apr. 11: at Nashville (77 points)
Apr. 13: at St. Louis (73 points)
Apr. 14: vs. Anaheim (86 points)

The caveat is that Ottawa, Detroit, Seattle, Nashville, and St. Louis, despite currently not occupying one of the eight playoff spots, are all within striking distance in the wild-card race. That means the only "easy" game left on the schedule is Wednesday against the NHL-worst Canucks.

It's going to be a grind, and it could very well come down to the result of the April 9 game against Dallas. Either way, the Wild and Stars will likely meet in the first round, and that will serve as the ultimate test for a Minnesota team that hasn't advanced past to the second round since 2015.

Those playoff failures include first-round playoff losses to the Stars in 2016 and 2023.

This article first appeared on Bring Me The News and was syndicated with permission.

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