Forgotten Blue Jackets: Mikko Koivu

A Minnesota Wild legend had a short stint with the Blue Jackets less than half a decade ago, but it's quickly been forgotten.

There have been many players who have stopped in Columbus for a cup of coffee as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. While most spent at least half of a season or longer as a member of the organization, there’s one in particular who had a much shorter stint than that and as a result, despite being a legendary player for the Minnesota Wild, Mikko Koivu is a name that can easily be lost in Blue Jackets history.

 

Koivu’s Career Prior to Columbus

The last name Koivu is one that every life-long hockey fan will likely remember. Whether it was Mikko or his older brother Saku, the Koivus were key players for their respective organizations in the 2000s and early 2010s.

For more than a decade, Mikko Koivu was one of the first players that came to mind when you thought of the Minnesota Wild, playing alongside players such as Marian Gaborik, Zach Parise, and Ryan Suter just to name a few. He contributed offensively, which is clear considering he holds their franchise record in both assists and total points. Despite his offensive production, he was more known for being one of the best defensive centers in the league for most of his career. He rarely ended up on the highlight reels, but Wild fans knew what to expect from the man who captained their team for 11 years.