This panorama, taken by James Blakeway, captures the action of the Minnesota Wild® playing on home ice to a capacity crowd at Xcel Energy Center. On June 25, 1997, the NHL® announced that Minnesota had been awarded an expansion franchise to begin play in the 2000-2001 season. The club name, the result of a fan write-in campaign, reflects Minnesota’s natural beauty and wildlife. The Wild crest is a pictogram that depicts both the Minnesota Wilderness and the silhouette of a wild animal. Among the components hidden in the logo are the North Star, evergreen trees, a red sky, the sun and/or moon and a stream. The organization retired sweater number 1, as a tribute to Wild Fans, on October 11, 2000.Panoramics are 13.5"x40". When framed, about 2-3 inches are added to each side. Allow 1-3 business days handling time.