Minnesota Wild's Mikko Koivu Reaches 600 Career Points

Thanks to a goal and an assist in Saturday's game against the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild forward Mikko Koivu now owns 600 career points, per NHL.com.

The veteran winger has heated up recently, notching six points in his last four games after going without one in the three previous contests. Koivu now possesses 44 points through 57 games this season, a huge scoring rate increase from the previous two campaigns—when he finished with 56 and 48.

Minnesota has seen a significant turnaround from a season ago when they squeaked in as the last playoff team. The club owns the second-largest goal differential in the league, outscoring its opponents by 62 this season. Only the Washington Capitals sport a better rating at plus-69.

Koivu has played a massive role in Minnesota's success on the offensive end of the ice. Following Monday's action, his rating sits tied for fourth-best in the league at plus-32. He trails just three teammates in the category—defenseman Ryan Suter (plus-34) and forwards Jason Zucker (plus-34) and Jared Spurgeon (plus-33).

The Wild enter Tuesday's action against the Chicago Blackhawks with a seven-point edge over the upcoming foe for the Central division lead. If the regular season ended today, they would enter the postseason as the top seed in the Western Conference.

Anchored by a solid presence between the pipes in Devan Dubnyk, the Wild should be a challenging foe in the postseason for opposing teams. If they can carry their current momentum into the playoffs, Minnesota could secure its first Stanley Cup Trophy since the franchise's inception in 2000-01.