If there’s one theme in Minnesota professional sports in 2024, it’s that we don’t know.
The teams that started their 2024 season with the highest expectations were arguably the Twins and Timberwolves, based on how they finished the previous year. Everyone had expectations between mediocre and modest, and all of these teams arguably have (or are in the process of) exceeding what we thought they would do.
I’m going to expand our list and countdown the five pro teams that I consider good surprises in 2024.
5. Minnesota United: The Loons didn’t even really have a plan (or a head coach) in place at the start of the season, and they failed badly early in the summer. But they rallied to play like one of the best teams in Major League Soccer and won a playoff series before succumbing to the LA Galaxy in the conference semifinals.
4. Minnesota Frost: Their new season is technically underway, but there are only two games left. Their first season began in January and ended with a PWHL title. While this isn’t shocking given Minnesota’s talent level in a six-team league, it certainly comes as a pleasant surprise.
3. Minnesota Wild: OK, then take this. I thought the Wild would be downright mediocre this season, and I wasn’t the only one expressing that sentiment. It felt like another year in purgatory before cap relief arrived, and a dangerous year with Kirill Kaprizov hitting free agency in a few summers. Instead, the Wild entered Thursday with a 17-4-4 record and the most points (38) in the entire NHL. That this effort only places them third on the list is a testament to the competition and that there is still plenty of season left.
2. Minnesota Vikings: Betting odds and advanced metrics have the Vikings around seven wins this season. No one who has made predictions for the Star Tribune has picked one to win more than nine. But here they are at 10-2, a breeze to make the playoffs and still in contention to win the best division in football. It was a masterful coaching job from Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores as well as a huge surprise.