"In most venues, Craig Leipold -- "the Big Babooski" to his friends -- is a gentle giant.

The multimillionaire's phone number is listed, he enters the arena through Gate 1 like everyone else, he loves a juicy burger and cold beer.

Get used to seeing Leipold roam the Xcel Energy Center corridors in the seasons to come.

He permanently resides 350 miles away in Racine, Wis., but he signed a 10-year exclusive lease for the 2,400-square-foot, 14th-floor penthouse at the St. Paul Hotel.

This way, the 56-year-old can keep a close eye on his newest toy -- the Wild, which he purchased from Bob Naegele for $260 million last season.

"I like the fact I can walk from where I'm living to work, and here, I don't even have to go outside in the winter," Leipold said from his office at Wild headquarters.

And if you ever run into the man with a hockey mullet and infectious laugh, he's as approachable as a miniature bichon.

"This is a big business guy who runs in big political circles, but he walks with kings with the touch of a common man," said close friend Joe Sweeney, an investment banker who used to be marketing agent for Brett Favre, LeRoy Butler, Barry Alvarez and Robin Yount, among others. "Craig is as down to earth as anybody I've ever met.

"The greatest thing I can say about Craig Leipold is he's got 100 best friends. He's so busy. He's got five kids, a wonderful, successful wife, tons of business ventures, yet he's there for so many people, a hundred people call Craig Leipold their best friend."

But there is one venue at which you don't want to cross Leipold, one sanctuary where he better not be disturbed by anyone, including his wife, five boys ranging in age from 12 to 31 and those 100 best friends.

If you ever accidentally stumble into the owners' suite during a Wild home game, enter at your own risk.

"Intense is an understatement," said Helen, his wife of 21 years. "We all know not to cross the line when we're in the box. He lives and dies by every minute of the game. You can't sit in the two seats on each side of him, and you definitely can't at all talk to him."

When Leipold owned the Nashville Predators, a few HDTVs crossed his path and didn't live to tell about it.

"I take the stat sheet -- it's the perfect size -- and I roll it up and it's always in my hand so I have something to pound," Leipold says. "A few times, I may have accidentally hit the TV with the paper.

"I remember, the suite managers used to come in, look at the TV and say, 'Oh no, somebody from above must have thrown something and hit the TV again,' " Leipold said, hysterically laughing.

A hands-on owner, but patient

So passionate, so nervous, so focused during games, Leipold calls himself "a pathetic, immature, absolute die-hard fan."

When the game's over, just like any player, coach or general manager, there's a period of high when his team wins, low when it loses. Leipold can't