1:30 p.m.: As expected, the Wild announced that they’ve placed Brodin on injured reserve due to the lower-body ailment. Additionally, the team has recalled defenseman Carson Lambos from AHL Iowa in a corresponding roster move.
1:00 p.m.: The Minnesota Wild are again losing a top-four defenseman for the foreseeable future. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, defenseman Jonas Brodin is set to miss the next few weeks with a lower-body injury.
Russo articulated that Brodin’s lower-body ailment didn’t come from a specific play. He asserted that this is related to the lower-body issue that caused Brodin to miss nine days in mid-December and has been nagging him since then. The 14-year veteran has already missed five games for the Wild this year.
Given that Minnesota has six games in the next week and a half, Brodin is in danger of failing to cross the 70-games played plateau for the fourth straight year. The oft-injured blue liner has only appeared in 73% of the Wild’s regular-season contests since the 2022-23 campaign. He is signed through the 2027-28 season at a $6MM cap hit.
Still, when healthy, he’s one of Minnesota’s best defenders. Throughout the last four injury-plagued campaigns, Brodin has scored 17 goals and 76 points in 214 games with a +58 rating. At even strength, he has averaged a 91.6% on-ice save percentage while beginning most of his shifts in the defensive zone.
Furthermore, Brodin’s current injury could have negative consequences for Team Sweden during the 2026 Olympic Games. He scored one goal in three games for the Swedes during last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, and seven points in 10 games during the IIHF World Championships.
Meanwhile, Brodin’s absence will allow one Wild defenseman to make his NHL debut this evening. Yesterday evening, Minnesota recalled prospect David Spacek from the AHL’s Iowa Wild, and he’s expected to be in the lineup this evening. The 22-year-old has scored three goals and 19 points in 35 games for AHL Iowa this year.