Thursday's NHL schedule will see the Minnesota Wild (20-9-5) hit the ice against the Columbus Blue Jackets (14-13-6), starting at 7 p.m. ET at Nationwide Arena and broadcast on ESPN+. The Wild are third in the Western Conference (45 points), while the Blue Jackets are 15th in the Eastern Conference (34 points).
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Wild vs. Blue Jackets: Dec. 18 Viewing Options
- Date: Thursday, December 18, 2025
- Time: 7 p.m. ET
- How to watch on TV: ESPN+
- Location: Columbus, Ohio
- Venue: Nationwide Arena
- Live Stream: Watch this game on ESPN+
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply)
Wild's 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 2.97 | 18th |
| Goals Allowed | 2.53 | 2nd |
| Shots | 28.1 | 17th |
| Shots Allowed | 29.7 | 26th |
| Power Play % | 23.08% | 9th |
| Penalty Kill % | 79.01% | 22nd |
Blue Jackets' 2025-26 Stats
| Stat | Per-Game Average | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| Goals Scored | 2.91 | 21st |
| Goals Allowed | 3.45 | 29th |
| Shots | 30.0 | 4th |
| Shots Allowed | 31.0 | 30th |
| Power Play % | 18.52% | 16th |
| Penalty Kill % | 72.83% | 30th |
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Wild vs. Blue Jackets Top Players
Wild
- One of Minnesota's top offensive options this season is Matthew Boldy, who has put up 38 points in 34 games.
- Having scored 21 goals and adding 17 assists, Kirill Kaprizov is excelling for Minnesota through 34 games.
- On 49 shots (for 11 goals) and 15 assists, Marcus Johansson has recorded 26 points this season.
- Across 22 games played, Filip Gustavsson has a goaltending record of 11-8-3. During those games, he's allowed 55 goals while recording 571 saves.
Blue Jackets
- Zachary Werenski has scored 11 goals (0.3 per game) and collected 25 assists (0.8 per game), fueling the Columbus offense with 36 total points (1.1 per game). He averages 3.6 shots per game, shooting 9.2%.
- Kirill Marchenko has helped lead the attack for Columbus this season with 10 goals and 16 assists.
- Dmitri Voronkov has earned 12 goals on the season, chipping in 10 assists.
- Jet Greaves is 8-8-5 in 21 games this season, conceding 58 goals (2.8 goals against average) with 548 saves and a .904 save percentage (28th in the league).
Wild vs. Blue Jackets Injury Report
Wild
Marcus Johansson: Day-To-Day (Lower Body),
Jacob Middleton: Out (Upper Body),
Daemon Hunt: Out (Undisclosed),
Vinnie Hinostroza: Day-To-Day (Lower Body),
Zach Bogosian: Day-To-Day (Lower Body),
Mats Zuccarello: Out (Upper Body),
Jonas Brodin: Out (Upper Body)
Blue Jackets
Brendan Gaunce: Day-To-Day (Personal),
Mathieu Olivier: Out (Upper Body),
Erik Gudbranson: Out (Hip)
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Wild's Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/13/2025 | Senators | W 3-2 | Home |
| 12/14/2025 | Bruins | W 6-2 | Home |
| 12/16/2025 | Capitals | W 5-0 | Home |
| 12/18/2025 | Blue Jackets | - | Away |
| 12/20/2025 | Oilers | - | Home |
| 12/21/2025 | Avalanche | - | Home |
| 12/23/2025 | Predators | - | Home |
Blue Jackets' Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Score | Home/Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12/11/2025 | Senators | L 6-3 | Home |
| 12/13/2025 | Golden Knights | L 3-2 | Home |
| 12/16/2025 | Ducks | W 4-3 | Home |
| 12/18/2025 | Wild | - | Home |
| 12/20/2025 | Ducks | - | Away |
| 12/22/2025 | Kings | - | Away |
| 12/28/2025 | Islanders | - | Home |