So Long ‘X’ Hello ‘Wild Card’? Here’s Some New Nicknames

Early today, it was announced that the home of the Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Frost would be renamed to Grand Casino Arena. The new naming rights start in September, so we've only got a few months left to call the House that Jacques built 'The X'. I've got 5 nicknames that might just be what Minnesotans will start to call the home of the NHL, PWHL, and plenty of concerts.

The Xcel Energy Center Will Soon Be No More

The only name the building that is home to professional hockey in Minnesota is getting a new name in September, and one that will presumably stay for the next 14 years, as Grand Casino came to the table with the 'big stack' to land the building's naming rights.

While hockey fans have and will presumably always reference the home of the Wild and Frost as 'The X', we'll have to accept the change and look to call the building something else. Here are 5 nicknames that might just stick for fans of the team when they visit St. Paul next season.

The Jackpot

The Jackpot - it's a reference to hitting it big at the casino, a player can't win something bigger than a jackpot on the game they are playing. It is playful, and it hints at the ultimate goal for Owner Craig Leopold: winning the Stanley Cup, the ultimate NHL jackpot.

The Grand

The Grand - It's a shortened version of the new, official name of the building. It's elegant and gives off the sense of affluence while also sounding like what goes on inside is fun. I like this one, as it keeps the new name, at least part of it, front and center for us fans to get used to.

The Vault

The Vault - I know, I know some people reference US Bank Stadium as 'The Vault' as the Gophers play at another bank named stadium, Huntington Bank, aka 'The Bank'. But hear me out, vaults are some of the most secure places in the world, including being found inside all casinos...and most teams want to 'protect' home ice.

The GC

The GC - Like the nickname 'The Grand', the GC is a play off the official name, Grand Casino Arena. It's short and rolls off the tongue, like The X did for so many years. Other examples in sports where fans shorten the name of the buildings are The Q for the Quicken Loans Center in Cleveland, and The Linc in Philly, short for Lincoln Financial Field. (Note I am NOT a graphic designer, but I did borrow the G, C, and jackpot and changed the colors to reflect the Wild)

The Wild Card

The Wild Card - It combines the NHL team name, as well as plays on the casino vibe. It also seems to speak to how the team has made it into the playoffs the last couple of years, so that might be a negative on the nickname, but we've got to be honest, when any team in Minnesota makes the playoffs, not named the Frost or Lynx, we are just happy to be there...spoken like a true Minnesota sports fan, I know.

What nickname would you suggest?

Keep it clean, keep it fan-appropriate, and leave your nickname suggestions in the comments.