Wild on 7th - Episode #126 Does Your Team Have a Mental Performance Specialist?

The Minnesota Wild have been playing some pretty great hockey lately, but it wasn't always like that.  There was a time in the fairly recent past that the fans of the Minnesota Wild were mentally in a very different place, however most Minnesotan's don't have a mental performance specialist to lean on.  Yet, regardless of the lows, or the highs, the Minnesota Wild have been quite resilient, and very possibly because of the teachings of their Mental Performance Specialist Aaron Bogosian.  Brother of Defenseman Zach Bogosian, Aaron grew up in a household of brothers, and seemingly was born for this job.  With both a professional hockey background, and military experience, Aaron Bogosian brings a sense of presence and familial support to the Wild lockeroom.  Aaron credits his work ethic and mental toughness to his upbringing, and the fact that we can now help the next generation of young hockey professionals in Minnesota, just might be his true calling.  Carts and King go deep with Bogo, but only as far as one would think when you're in the presence of such selflessness.  A truly interesting interview, and beyond that includes the Olympic rosters that the guys breakdown.  The snubs, the stars, the trivia, it's all here to kick off 2026.  Let's Go.

The Minnesota Wild have snapped their win streak, losing to the Colorado Avalanche at Grand Casino Arena on Sunday evening, but are already eyeing Nashville to redeem themselves before a quick Christmas break.  Carter and Kinger talk about the new Minnesota Wild, and the conversation goes deep!  From Ryan Hartman doing Ryan-Hartman-things, to the Tarasenshow coming into his own, the Wild are really having some fun on the ice, and a single loss to Colorado on the back end of a back to back is NOT anything to be worried about.  The hosts break down why Stanley Cup Playoff structure is so brutal in their opinion, whether or not they think Billy G is done making moves, and ultimately, that Gary Bettman is likely a fan of the show!  Later in the show, Minnesota icon Jack Jablonski joins us to introduce his involvement as our State of Hockey correspondent.  He gives us a little background about his experience working in the NHL, some of the celebrity encounters he's had working in Hollywood, and then a quick update on the successes of the Jack Jablonski foundation!  You still have a few hours to get your Christmas shopping done, so go get after it, and have a wonderful Holiday break!  

Quinn Hughes.  Quinn Hughes.  Quinn Hughes. If you say it three times, does he just arrive like a genie?  Try it.  The Minnesota Wild have acquired Quinn Hughes from the Vancouver Canucks.  It's a fact that many hockey fans are still digesting, but it's real, and it's quite amazing when you really break it down.  To break it down for you, Alex Stalock joins Wild on 7th in-studio this week, John King lands his whale of a bold prediction, Wild Radio Joe O'Donnell talks botany among other things, and Ryan Carter maintains his swagger among all the chaos.  Stalock and O'Donnell were both on the call for Quinn's first game with the Wild, and both provide their unique insight on the historic night.  Carter gives an amazing assessment of Billy Guerin's rationale surrounding the trade, and also chimes in with some amazing stories from his days playing juniors.  Quinn Hughes. Quinn Hughes. Quinn Hughes.  Poof....here's the best pod of the season so far.

Carter joins us from the road, with his early wake up call in Seattle before tonights tilt against the Kraken, and Kinger holds down the studio to break down this long road trip, with one last tilt before the team flys home tomorrow. We had this one holstered for a minute, as we wanted to give the Chicelt's interview a moment to breathe, and then bring you some holiday cheer with this fun interview with a Wild favorite. The guys talk podcasts, they talk about his life after hockey, his magical 5 goal night, and his favorite coach...shocker....it's not a shocker. Grab a beverage and a snack, and sit tight for a great interview with an absolute star....Marian Gaborik.

This week on Wild on 7th, the podfathers sit down with fan-favorite, Jake Middleton, for a wide-open, laugh-heavy conversation that hits everything from the team’s recent on-ice surge to the unexpected chaos happening off it. Jake walks us through the origin story of the “Redwood Hat” that’s suddenly become the must-have item in the locker room and how it's turned into the squad’s unofficial badge of honor. He also talks about settling into his new life in the suburbs—complete with an electric snow blower and one tiny shovel—and gives us a peek into day-to-day neighborly living as a Minnesota Wild defenseman. Door dash, burgers, and Bunny's, and of course, no episode would be complete without a little behind-the-scenes team lore, including how Zuccarello might actually be Napoleon.  Cool and collected leadership, all around the room.  It’s one of the season’s funniest and most genuine conversations—don’t miss it.

The holiday season has finally arrived, and if you haven't started thawing out your thanksgiving turkey, I'd get on that or you won't be ready for dinner! Carts is a bit punch drunk on this pod, after a long day of travel and getting stuck on the runway in Winnipeg last night, but still delivered the pod in professional fashion. Kinger, knowing that Carter was sleep deprived, and assuming a possibly weakened condition, approached the age old "what's the best holiday?" topic with full confidence. We'll let you decide. The Minnesota Wild are certainly thawed out, and one might argue, HOT! King's whiskers are coming in thick, Fabes is bringing joy, Boldy is bringing leadership, and Kirill continues to bring points, but one familiar face is also back after injury...Nico Sturm. The German joins the pod this week and has a lot to say! Whether it's understanding your role, or what you can learn from playing with and against some of the biggest names in the league, Nico's wisdom is evident. This is a guy that knows how to play the game, because he's studied it, and practiced it, and then executes when it matters. So get those brats boiling, grab a beer, and settle in for an amazing show featuring your newest favorite German. Prost!

Mr.1000, Marcus Johansson drops by the pod this week to talk about his newly acquired comma, following his 1,000th NHL game and ceremony.  Carts and King are simply excited to have a new Swede on the show that isn't playing between the pipes.  Marcus talks about his up bringing in Sweden, his extensive NHL experience, World championships experiences, and playing with some of the greatest to play this game. JoJo's style sense also came to light, as he showed off his new kicks and talked about this new venture.  It is an outstanding feat to play 1000 NHL games, and with the number of points JoJo is putting up in the first month and half of the season, it appears he's making a solid case for the Swedish National team and a potential appearance in Milan.  Jojo is on a heater as of late, and we are all for him continuing this pace!  Listen up and get inside the head of our stoic swede, Marcus Johansson.

The Minnesota Wild have been searching for their game, but look like they are getting closer to finding it as of late. What changed you ask? It may have to do with the return of a key ingredient in the peanut butter and jelly sandwich recipe. Carts and King breakdown what they've seen over the last week or so, and although some topics may have flashed the feeds already, the guys need to get their takes in. From Jojo's "no goal" goal," to Wallstedt doing his best Optimus Prime impression, and Trenin leading the league in hits for the moment, Wild on 7th's attention span bounces around like a TikTok feed this week. Kinger even bounces around the league with his TikTok teams! The Minnesota Wild are at home through the end of next week, so grab yourself a sandwich and a glass of milk, and listen up for some fresh takes, and a great look back with an awesome interview with Niklas Bäckström.

Following a "relief" of a win against the Vancouver Canucks, the Minnesota Wild will try to maintain composure over the next 4 games in only 6 days. Ryan Carter and John King connect for this weeks show with a little glimmer of a win in their eyes, after a tough stretch for Minnesota sports fans, let alone a struggling Wild team. The guys break it down, talk about the "players only" meeting spearheaded by Jared Spurgeon, and touch on what it's going to take to maintain a winning level of play. First time guest, Vinnie Hinostroza joins the pod for some amazing stories from both his youth, and his experienced NHL career, both oddly enough, right alongside Ryan Hartman for a lot of it. Can you imagine what those two got into at out of town hockey tournaments as kids?

Carts and King aren't letting the darkness creep in, even though the boys might feel like they're in an endless tunnel right now. For a week that didn't produce much to talk about, the hosts sure had a lot to say. But let's be honest, it was a tough week to be a Minnesota sports fan, but this show is going to change all that! Buckle up for a marathon pod, all leading up to an amazing interview with some legendary Minnesota Wild Alumns in Pierre Marc Bouchard, and Brian Rolston. The guys talk about style on and off the ice, how to dangle across the blue line or on the shootout approach, and how sometimes you just need to take a clap bomb from the hashmarks. Bouchard and Rolston talk about their time under Jacques Lemaire, the fond memories of the Xcel Energy Center, and how team meals were often made at home in those days. The Minnesota Wild celebrate their first 25th anniversary game tonight against the Winnipeg Jets, so listen up for a great pre-game pod, and dust off the old sweaters for a blast from the past.