British stone. Paul-As one of the most kept secrets in wild history, arguably the greatest player in the club's sweater later this season.

When Minnesota selected Mikko Koivu with the sixth overall pick in the 2001 NHL Draft, it was impossible to dream that one day, his sweater would hang on the rafters of the Xcel Energy Center. 

On March 13, this dream will become a reality, because Koivu will become the first player in team history to retire his number before the team's game against the Nashville Predators that day.

"Obviously it means a lot. I think now [Monday] when they announce it, you start to think back to people and fans over the years, it's a big honor," Koivu said on Tuesday. "So it means a lot. I am proud of it.

"I'm proud to be a member of Wild, and always have been." 

Perhaps no player is more synonymous with the team in the history of the team than Koivu. Koivu is an elite two-way center with a steely look that has earned him the nickname "Serious Captain". 

Koivu is the first full-time captain in Wild history and the team leader in most categories. He became the first player to skate in the first 1,000 games with the club and became the 55th in NHL history. The player who accomplished this feat. On December 1, 2019, he jumped on the rebound for the first time against the Dallas Stars.

Appropriately, Koivu became the gunfight hero of that game, scoring the decisive goal with his now-famous local forehand backhand.

This was the iconic moment of Koivu's last season at the club, and that season did not come to an end with a proper delivery. 

Three months after that game, the NHL was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Koivu will play his last game in a Wild sweater without fans in the Edmonton bubble, and then travel to Columbus for a short seven games with the Blue Jackets last season before hanging up his skates forever. 

Although the March date will be an opportunity for fans and organizations to pay tribute to Koivu, he said it will be his long-awaited opportunity to thank him in return for all the years he has spent-and continue to spend-in the hockey country. 

Video: Mikko Koivu talks about retiring jersey numbers

Koivu said: "This is once again an opportunity to say thank you to the fans and those who have helped me a lot during my career in Minnesota." "I have no chance to communicate with the fans, players, management and staff. Play the final game and say goodbye. That will be fun."

Koivu's legacy in Minnesota began under the shroud of secrecy.

Wild won the sixth overall pick in the 2001 NHL draft in the Florida Sunrise. From the beginning, the team set their sights on Koivu, a powerful two-way center from Finland who wanted to be the cornerstone of the team.

The only problem is that it chose sixth place and there is no guarantee that Koivu will be available.

Although the top two picks in the draft have been well decided, the Wild team will have to sweat. The Tampa Bay Chargers finished third, the hometown Florida Panthers finished fourth, and Anaheim Mighty Ducks chose fifth place.

There is also the Montreal Canadiens. They chose seventh. They made no secret of their desire to reunite Mikko and brother Saku. Saku was named the 27th captain in the history of the Canadians two years ago. 

So Minnesota started perhaps the best smokescreen in team history.

The top of the draft was as expected, with Ilya Kovalchuk and Jason Spezza ranked first and second respectively. Centers Alex Svitov (Alex Svitov) and Stephen Weiss (Stephen Weiss) finished third and fourth respectively. 

This allowed the Ducks and the Canadians to trade. 

Tweet from @mnwild: Heart. enthusiasm. fire. Time to celebrate #CapFinn. 💚#mnwild pic.twitter.com/xDQYieLSzS

Wild's draft table is right next to Canadiens. There are many former Habs on the team's draft table, including the then executive vice president Doug Risebrough and head coach Jacques Lemaire. 

The organization went to great lengths to conceal its interest in Koivu, talking with defender Mike Komisarek and goalkeepers Pascal Leclaire and Dan Blackburn.

However, Koivu is the person they have been targeting. The smoke screen worked.

Anaheim selected Stanislav Chistorf with the fifth overall pick and left Koivu to Wild, who did not waste time on the stage and submitting his choice. 

Among Wild players, Koivu ranks first in the number of games played (1,028), assists (504), points (709), plus or minus (plus-70), shots (2,270), and strong offensive points (251)), Powerful offensive assists (191), short man scores (25), short man assists (15), multi-point matches (153), number of face-off wins (10,354) and number of face-offs (19,290).

He tied for second (five) in overtime goals.

He ranked second in goals scored (205), strong offensive goals (60), empty-handed goals (10) and free throw time (592). 

He ranks third in the number of goals scored in the game (33).

"I am very excited for him," said Wild coach Dean Evason. "Not only a first-class player, but also a first-class person. What he has done for this organization, his observations in training and in the game, his level of intensity, his leadership skills... This is one A great honor and a well-deserved one."

Koivu is also a staple food in the Shuangcheng community and other areas. From supporting Finland's children's medical program to his announcement in October 2011 that he sponsored two private wards of the Neuroscience and Epilepsy Center at St. Paul Children's Hospital in Minnesota, Koivu has had a significant impact on his community. 

He continues to live in Twin Cities and is a member of the UNICEF Board of Directors.

"I think like I said before, spent many years in the team, but how much hockey means to Minnesota and the people here. I think this is something you didn't realize in the first few years. ," Koivu said. "You just play games and things like that. But when you start to realize kids' hockey and high school, college, and obviously all the way to the NHL, I think it's special."

The stoic Koivu is not easy to express emotions spontaneously. He said he could not embrace what the night of March 13 would look like to him and his family. 

"No, I can't," Koivu said. "When we are on the road, I have always been a part of it. You see it there, but this is something you can think about, but it will definitely be a special night."

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