It's been almost 32 years since a major Minnesota men's pro sports team competed in a final game or series with a championship on the line — let alone actually won one.
The 1991 Twins appear more distant in the rearview mirror every day, with the frustrations of more recent playoffs obscuring the collective view of Minnesota sports fans.
The Lynx championship dynasty of the 2010s stands on its own merit, but it does not wipe away the rest of what has happened.
The Vikings have lost four NFC title games since the Twins last won it all. The Wolves have won two playoff series in their entire existence. The Twins have lost 18 consecutive playoff games, a North American pro sports record.
But perhaps the most perplexing of all the local teams contributing to the men's sports playoff woes: the Wild, as I talked about on Wednesday's Daily Delivery podcast.
The Wild have been in the playoffs 13 times — more than half of their seasons since joining the NHL in 2000. But they have won just four playoff series, with two of them coming in their third season of existence. All-time in postseason games, the Wild are just 34-62.
What makes it perplexing is this: The NHL is perhaps the league in which a Minnesota team has the most inherent advantages, and it is the league with the most equitable salary system.
The Wild have been able to lure free agents like Zach Parise and Ryan Suter because they wanted to play here — something the Timberwolves have struggled to do.
