Gabriel Landeskog Set For Bigger Role
After recently playing for the first time in 1,032 days, Colorado Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is set for a bigger role in game four of their matchup with against the Dallas Stars, per an NHL release.
After captaining the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022, the winger, 32, underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, which put his career in jeopardy. But after nearly three years of intense rehab, the Swedish-born forward has made his return, something that has greatly inspired the organization.
As head coach Avalanche Jared Bednar stated today: “It’s remarkable, really. When you think about the time he’s been away, and then you see the way he played the other night, I thought he was incredible under those circumstances.”
Gabriel Landeskog Returns For Game 3
After flirting with an official comeback in Games 1 & 2, Gabriel Landeskog will suit up for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3. The NHL proudly announced that Landeskog will play in his first game for the first time in 1,032 days.
Landeskog’s return to the NHL minutes is one of the most remarkable comebacks in professional sports. After captaining the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup championship in 2022, the Swedish winger underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, which is an operation more inclined to return an individual to a generic standard of mobility rather than professional sports. Through intense willpower, Landeskog was able to overcome.
It’ll be important for the rest of the Avalanche, too. Based on multiple interviews with players on the team, the void of Landeskog has been present for some time, and having him back in the lineup, even for a few shifts, should lead to intense motivation.
Avalanche Activate Gabriel Landeskog From Long-Term Injured Reserve
April 21: Contrary to what Bednar said, the official announcement has come. Landeskog has been activated from long-term injured reserve and is expected to make his return to NHL ice in tonight’s Game 2 of their first-round series against Dallas after sitting out Game 1, the team announced.
April 18: Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is available to step onto NHL ice for the first time in nearly three years during their first-round series against the Stars, head coach Jared Bednar said today (via Meghan Angley of Guerilla Sports). There’s unlikely to be an official announcement before they activate him from long-term injured reserve, Bednar said, but he’s an option for Game 1 tomorrow night.
Landeskog rejoined the NHL squad for practice earlier this week following a two-game conditioning stint in the AHL, his first game action since June 2022. He posted a goal and assist in the first minor-league action of his 12-year pro career stateside. Playing on back-to-back nights was an especially noteworthy accomplishment for Landeskog, whose multiple right knee surgeries have kept him sidelined since Colorado’s Stanley Cup win in 2022.
Whether he’s in the Game 1 lineup remains to be seen. Landeskog skated with the Avs’ projected scratches at practice for the second session in a row, so it’s not looking overly likely, Jesse Montano of Guerilla Sports relays. Aside from Landeskog, Bednar told reporters today that defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Josh Manson will be available and will slot in on the third and second pairings, respectively. Manson will need to come off long-term injured reserve before tomorrow night.
Their availability gives the Avalanche a fully healthy complement of players for the first time this season. Considering Landeskog’s injury, it’ll be the first time the Avs can say that since Game 3 of their second-round series against the Blues in 2022. Samuel Girard sustained a broken sternum in that game and did not play for the remainder of the postseason.
It’s impossible to put expectations on Landeskog’s on-ice impact after such a long absence, but it’s worth pointing out he remained one of Colorado’s best players in their Cup win despite not playing on a fully healthy knee. He finished fourth on the team in playoff scoring with 11-11–22 in 20 games and co-led the club with a +15 rating. He’s nearly at a point per game over his postseason career, which spans 67 games across six trips.
Photo courtesy of Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports.
Avalanche Sign Zakhar Bardakov To Entry-Level Deal
The Colorado Avalanche announced that they have signed forward Zakhar Bardakov to a one-year, entry-level deal, per a team release.
In 53 games this season for SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Bardakov posted 17 goals and 35 points. The 24-year-old set career highs in goals and assists this season (while nearly doubling his previous career high in points) and served as an alternate captain. He added two points in six KHL playoff contests. In 209 regular season games in the KHL, he scored 79 points. The Russian native also spent three seasons in the MHL, scoring 70 points in 104 games.
Bardakov plays center and utilizes his 6’2, 210-pound frame to fend off defenders. He was originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the seventh round in the 2021 draft, but acquired by the Avalanche in a trade with the Devils last season.
While the Avalanche continue with their Stanley Cup aspirations, the club’s prospect pool has quite a few promising forwards, including Maxmilian Curran, Cooper Gay, and Taylor Makar, younger brother of superstar Cale Makar. There is also forward Christian Humphreys, whose rights belong to Colorado although he remains unsigned. After 10 games at the University of Michigan this previous season, Humphreys joined the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, where he posted 33 points in 28 games.
For Bardakov, he appears to have the physical traits to break camp with the Avs to start next season, although he’ll likely start in the AHL as he acclimates to a North American style of play.
Minor Transactions: 4/18/25
There will be several small roster moves today as playoff teams recall their required third goalie for practice and emergency backup purposes, and non-playoff teams conduct some end-of-season roster trimming. We’ll cover all those moves here:
- The Blues announced they’ve recalled goaltender Will Cranley from ECHL Florida to serve as their emergency backup. St. Louis selected the 23-year-old in the sixth round of the 2020 draft. He was previously added to the Blues’ practice roster for a day during the 4 Nations break while Jordan Binnington was traveling back from the tournament. He finished his second professional season with a 2.71 GAA, .896 SV%, two shutouts, and an 11-9-3 record in 23 ECHL games. He also logged a .867 SV% in a pair of appearances for AHL Springfield, the first of his career.
- The Stars added defensemen Lian Bichsel and Alexander Petrovic back to the active roster after reassigning them to AHL Texas yesterday for cap purposes. They needed the space to activate Tyler Seguin from long-term injured reserve for the final game of the regular season. They’re expected to serve as the third pairing in Game 1 of the first round against the Avalanche tomorrow, per Sam Nestler of DLLS Sports. It’ll be the postseason debut for Bichsel, Dallas’ first-round draft choice in 2022. They also recalled goaltender Ben Kraws from ECHL Idaho as their EBUG. An undrafted free agent signing out of St. Lawrence last year, the 24-year-old impressed with a 2.88 GAA, .910 SV%, five shutouts, and a 23-12-5 record in 40 games for Idaho. He also posted a 3.01 GAA and .889 SV% in three appearances for AHL Texas, logging a 2-1-0 record.
- Serving as the Avalanche’s EBUG will be Kevin Mandolese, the team announced. The 24-year-old has spent the year as Trent Miner‘s backup with AHL Colorado after being acquired from the Senators over the offseason. He has a 2.87 GAA, .903 SV%, 11-6-0 record, and one shutout in 19 games.
- Since the Wild’s AHL affiliate is one of the few to miss the cut for the Calder Cup Playoffs, they’re going with a higher-profile option for their EBUG. Top prospect Jesper Wallstedt will fill the role for them, according to a club announcement. The 2021 first-rounder is expected to succeed the retiring Marc-André Fleury as Filip Gustavsson‘s backup next season, but is coming off a disastrous injury-plagued campaign with Iowa. He finished the year with a 3.59 GAA, .879 SV%, one shutout, and a 9-14-4 record in 27 showings.
- The Panthers summoned Evan Cormier from ECHL Savannah to be their EBUG, per George Richards of Florida Hockey Now. The 27-year-old struggled with a 3.38 GAA, .887 SV%, one shutout, and a 17-13-4 record in 36 showings in 2024-25. He filled the same duties for the Cats in the first half of last year’s playoff run, signing a two-way deal at the trade deadline for the second season in a row.
- The Penguins returned forwards Ville Koivunen, Joona Koppanen, Vasiliy Ponomarev, Samuel Poulin, Valtteri Puustinen, and defenseman Filip Král to AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after their late-season call-ups. They’ll aid the Baby Pens as they aim to capture a Calder Cup. Not joining them is top prospect Rutger McGroarty, who sustained a lower-body injury last week and isn’t yet ready to return.
- The Flames assigned forward Sam Morton and defenseman Hunter Brzustewicz to AHL Calgary after they made their NHL debuts in last night’s regular-season finale. Morton scored his first NHL goal in the outing, while Brzustewicz impressed with a plus-two rating. They’ll join the Wranglers for the postseason.
- The Toronto Maple Leafs have recalled enforcer Ryan Reaves from the minor leagues. Reaves recently played in his first AHL games since the 2010-11 season. He recorded one goal and, surprisingly, no penalty minutes in three games of play. The 38-year-old also recorded two assists and 28 penalty minutes in 35 NHL games this season. He’ll provide a boost of muscle to the Leafs lineup as they head towards a First Round matchup against the Ottawa Senators.
- Defenseman Emil Andrae has been reassigned to the minor leagues after holding down a routine role on the Philadelphia Flyers lineup since early March. Andrae split his time between the major and minor rosters this season, with seven points in 42 NHL games and 16 points in 25 AHL games. He was primarily a minor-leaguer last season and managed a stout 32 points, 66 penalty minutes, and minus-10 in 61 games. With the Flyers season over, Andrae will look to again support the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a late-season push.
- The Edmonton Oilers have recalled depth forward Derek Ryan from the minor leagues. Ryan split time between the NHL and AHL this year, with one goal and six points in 36 games in the Oilers lineup. He also managed eight points in 13 AHL games. Ryan has played in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on five different occasions, racking up 10 points in 60 games. That includes appearing in 19 games of Edmonton’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season. Ryan contributed one assist to the effort. He’ll now be returned to the NHL roster to support another long run.
- The Rochester Americans are getting a wave of strong recruits, as the Buffalo Sabres have reassigned each of Jiri Kulich, Tyson Kozak, Noah Ostlund, and Isak Rosen back to the minor leagues. Rosen leads Rochester in scoring this season with 28 goals and 55 points in 60 games. Ostlund has 36 points in 44 games, while Kozak has 14 points in 31 games. Kulich has been the only of the bunch to spend the bulk of the season in the NHL. He carved out a top-six role through points of the season. Kulich finished what was his rookie NHL season with 15 goals and 24 points in 62 games.
This page will be updated throughout the day.
Poll: Who Will Be The Western Conference Champions?
The Western Conference playoff field is set after the Wild and Blues took home wins last night in their final regular-season games. They both secure wild-card spots and lock in the following bracket:
C1 Winnipeg Jets vs. WC2 St. Louis Blues
C2 Dallas Stars vs. C3 Colorado Avalanche
P1 Vegas Golden Knights vs. WC1 Minnesota Wild
P2 Los Angeles Kings vs. P3 Edmonton Oilers
That means it’s time to take out our crystal balls and look at who will represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final in a few months. For the wild-card clubs, it’s hard to imagine a more considerable disparity in upset difficulty than this year’s Western Conference. The Blues briefly jumped into the first wild-card spot following a 12-game win streak to get them into postseason position, but a 1-2-1 stretch to end the year had them fall back behind the Wild. That puts them in a Central Division bracket that includes the Presidents’ Trophy winners in Winnipeg and arguably the league’s two deepest offenses in Dallas and Colorado. All three teams finished in the top eight league-wide. There’s still upset potential there, given Jordan Binnington‘s playoff history in the net and star center Robert Thomas playing the best hockey of his career (he’s fine after leaving last night’s game with a lower-body injury). Still, it’s a more challenging road on that side of the bracket. The last time Winnipeg and St. Louis met in the first round, though, the latter won the Stanley Cup.
The Jets enter postseason play as a wagon with a bandaged wheel. They got tough news yesterday with winger Nikolaj Ehlers aggravating a foot injury with a week-to-week designation, which almost certainly puts him out for the beginning of their series. While that’s a big blow to the league’s third-ranked offense, they’ll look to their top-ranked defense to hold up. While the skater core has done an exceptional job of limiting high-danger chances at even strength, most of the credit there remains with Vezina frontrunner and Hart candidate Connor Hellebuyck. After posting a .924 SV% and a 2.02 GAA in 62 appearances, can he replicate those numbers in postseason play? In the Hellebuyck era, the Jets have only won a playoff series when he records a save percentage above .920.
The Stars and Avs would likely end up being a second- or third-round matchup in a conference-based playoff format compared to the current divisional one. Perhaps no series has a more compelling storyline to open up the playoffs. Forget the Mikko Rantanen bowl – Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog is trending toward a Game 1 return after missing nearly three years with right knee issues. Dallas, of course, will have to stop the Avs’ retooled offense, now featuring Charlie Coyle, Martin Nečas, and Brock Nelson, without star defenseman Miro Heiskanen to start the series and potentially for the entire first round. That’s in contrast to a Colorado skater core trending toward being fully healthy to begin the postseason. There is a risk for both of these clubs meeting so early on in the playoffs, though – can they get through this series and have enough energy left to spend on three more in their pursuit of the Cup?
On the Pacific side, the Knights are coming off their fifth division title in eight years as they begin their chase for their second Stanley Cup. Unlike past years, there was no deadline spending spree. Reacquiring 2023 Stanley Cup champion and Original Misfit Reilly Smith was their only move, along with signing free agent Brandon Saad mid-season. Amid injuries to core players Mark Stone and Shea Theodore, and even after losing multiple key names on the UFA market last summer, Vegas has chugged along with the league’s sixth-ranked offense and fourth-ranked defense. They continue to control play at 5-on-5, have one of the league’s best power plays, and have gotten strong play out of starter Adin Hill. Will breakout goal-scoring efforts from players like Pavel Dorofeyev and Brett Howden hold up to give Vegas enough secondary scoring to make their third Stanley Cup Final appearance?
They’ll first have to unseat the Wild in the first round. Minnesota has been a shell of itself in the second half of the season and only went 9-8-3 after the trade deadline. Their key to playing spoiler is the return of forward cornerstones Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov from injury. The former has been spectacular since returning last week, closing the year with five goals in four games, including the game-tying goal that secured a point for the Wild last night and clinched their playoff berth. Filip Gustavsson is having a spectacular season between the pipes. While the Wild have bled low-danger chances at 5-on-5 this year, they’re still one of the better teams in the league at limiting quality looks against. They’ll need to keep games low-scoring for a chance at a Cinderella run.
For the fourth year in a row, the Kings and Oilers meet in the first round. This time, the former holds home ice advantage over the defending conference champions. Los Angeles is hot at the right time as they kick off the postseason and attempt to finally unseat Edmonton after a trio of series losses. They’re 17-4-0 since the trade deadline while outscoring opponents 80-39 – yes, that’s a 3.81 goals per game clip for a team that struggled to score for most of the season. Led by dueling 35-goal campaigns from Kevin Fiala and Adrian Kempe while trade deadline pickup Andrei Kuzmenko has fit like a glove with 17 points in 21 games, they may not have the franchise offensive talent Edmonton boasts, but they enter the series with a more mobile defense core and the clear edge in goaltending with 2022 Stanley Cup champion Darcy Kuemper having a renaissance season.
The Oilers will attempt to begin their journey toward a repeat Final appearance without their top two-way defenseman, Mattias Ekholm. He’s ruled out for the first round with an undisclosed injury and could even be done for the season. That forces Brett Kulak to step back into a top-four role on the blue line alongside Evan Bouchard, Darnell Nurse, and crucial deadline pickup Jake Walman to begin the postseason. Will a continued MVP performance from Leon Draisaitl be enough for them to crack the Kings?
PHR readers, tell us who you think will sit atop the Western Conference when all is said and done and vote in the poll below:
Who will be the Western Conference champions?
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Colorado Avalanche 18% (196)
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Winnipeg Jets 18% (190)
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Dallas Stars 15% (160)
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St. Louis Blues 14% (147)
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Los Angeles Kings 12% (124)
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Vegas Golden Knights 11% (115)
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Edmonton Oilers 6% (69)
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Minnesota Wild 6% (69)
Total votes: 1,070
If the poll doesn’t show up for you, click here to vote.
Photos courtesy of Matt Marton-Imagn Images and Sergei Belski-Imagn Images.
Avalanche Terminate Gabriel Landeskog’s Conditioning Stint
Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog will rejoin the team for practice today after a brief conditioning stint with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, the club announced. With the Avs’ regular season schedule over, he’ll remain on long-term injured reserve until the rest of the league wraps up their games by Thursday.
Things went well for Landeskog in the minors as he gears up to return to the NHL after a nearly three-year absence due to multiple right knee surgeries. Colorado sent the 32-year-old down to the minors last week for the first time in his career. He suited up in back-to-back games for the Eagles against the Henderson Silver Knights on Friday and Saturday, notching a goal and an assist in the latter effort.
It’s still uncertain whether he’ll be on hand when the Avs open up their first-round series against the Stars, likely on Saturday. Landeskog still has a few days of practice and off time ahead of him to gauge how he feels, but his knee feeling strong enough to play on back-to-back nights in the AHL is promising. If he’s an option for Colorado to open the postseason, it will be his first NHL appearance in 1,028 days. He last suited up in the series-clinching Game 6 of the 2022 Stanley Cup Final against the Lightning.
Outside of its monumental nature, the left-winger’s potential return carries important roster construction implications for the Avs. Top-six fixtures Artturi Lehkonen and Valeri Nichushkin missed Colorado’s final regular-season game on Sunday with lower-body injuries, the team relayed to Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette. They haven’t been handed designations any longer than day-to-day, so while they remain probable for Game 1 against Dallas, they’re not certain yet. Jonathan Drouin also missed the final six games of the season with a lower-body injury and remains uncertain to open the playoffs. That potentially leaves Colorado without three of its four usual top-six wingers to begin the series.
Of course, expecting Landeskog to stop right back into a top-six role out of the gate is unrealistic. He only played around 15 minutes in his AHL debut on Friday and would presumably have his minutes capped at a similar number if he returns to the NHL lineup. Nonetheless, it’s a major boost for the Avs to have their captain back in the lineup at all.
Snapshots: Avalanche, Squires, Ziemmer
The Avalanche announced some heavy roster trimming after playing their final regular season game last night. Forwards Jere Innala, T.J. Tynan, Chris Wagner, and defensemen Wyatt Aamodt and Jack Ahcan were reassigned back to AHL Colorado after being called up recently to allow some lineup staples to rest. All the players listed saw limited action down the stretch, and all five appeared in last night’s win over the Ducks to give Colorado its fourth straight season with over 100 points. The Avs finished with a 49-29-4 record and will face the Stars in the first round as the lower seed. The group of five will now suit up for the Eagles in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with more experienced names like Wagner likely to be among the first added to the Avalanche’s postseason roster if injuries necessitate a recall.
Other minor moves from around the league this morning:
- The Devils announced today that they’ve reassigned right-wing prospect Cam Squires to AHL Utica after he finished his major junior season with the Cape Breton Eagles of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Squires, fresh off his 20th birthday, led Cape Breton in scoring with 24-51–75 in 58 games this season and 15th overall in the QMJHL. A 2023 fourth-round pick, he signed his entry-level deal last summer and will kick off his first full professional campaign next season, presumably in Utica.
- The Kings are also giving one of their prospects a taste of pro hockey to end the season, reassigning right-winger Koehn Ziemmer to AHL Ontario. The 2023 third-rounder is coming off a 37-goal, 71-point campaign in 61 games with the Prince George Cougars of the Western Hockey League, but he’s still failed to break the career-high 89 points he scored in his draft year with the Cougars. With his 20th birthday behind him, as well as four seasons of WHL play, he’s eligible for a full-time assignment to Ontario beginning next season.
Avalanche Recall T.J. Tynan
The Colorado Avalanche have recalled forward T.J. Tynan from the AHL, per a team release. Tyran will likely suit up in Colorado’s final regular season game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks.
In the eight games on the season in Colorado, Tynan has registered one assist, while adding four hits, four blocked shots, and four penalty minutes. This season represents the first NHL playing time for Tynan since the 2021-22 season, when he suited up in two games for the Kings. A 2011 third-round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Tyran, 33, has skated in 29 career NHL contests and has added two assists and zero goals. While Tynan doesn’t seem destined to support the club past today’s contest, it will be fun to see if he can light the lamp post for the first time in his career.
While he hasn’t been able to produce in the NHL, his statistics at the AHL-level have been a stark contract to what’s he’s been able to do at the top level, including this season where he has produced eight goals, 41 assists and 49 points in 50 games for the Colorado Eagles. He has scored 642 points in 691 AHL games, while adding another 35 points in 59 Calder Cup playoff games. Known for his passing abilities, 532 of his 642 AHL points have been assists, including 84 assists during the 2021-22 season with the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ AHL-affiliate.
His recall provides some depth as Colorado is already without several lineup fixtures, including star Nathan MacKinnon. He’s dealing with a minor injury that wouldn’t hold him out of playoff action, but he’s expected to sit for both contests this weekend. However, forwards Ross Colton (undisclosed) and Jonathan Drouin (lower body) both carry more serious injuries, although both could be ready for game one of the playoffs. These injuries also necessitated of forward Jere Innala from AHL Colorado. Innala suited up in last night’s 5-4 loss to the Kings, where he registered two shots on net and recorded a hit in 10:10 of total ice time.
Injury Notes: Golden Knights, Avalanche, Middleton
The Vegas Golden Knights were one of many teams to get a wave of positive injury updates on Friday. Neither star forward Jack Eichel nor top defenseman Alex Pietrangelo are expected to play on Saturday, but both are nearing a return, head coach Bruce Cassidy told Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Both players have missed Vegas’ last two games – Eichel with a day-to-day upper-body injury and Pietrangelo with illness. That same illness has also held winger Victor Olofsson and defender Nicolas Hague out of Vegas’ last two games. Cassidy shared that he had no updates on the latter two absentees, as they’re away from the rink with their sickness.
Getting Eichel back from injury will be a major addition as Vegas prepares for the postseason. He leads the squad in scoring this year with 27 goals and 93 points in 76 games – nearly 30 more points than Mark Stone‘s 67 points ranked second. This is Eichel’s first season playing more than 70 games since the 2018-19 season, when he recorded his previous career-high 82 points with the Buffalo Sabres. The year has been more a return to routine health than a true breakout, but either way, Eichel has smashed his career-mark and is set to rival 100 points for the first time in his career. He’ll likely fall just short, as Vegas has just two games left after Saturday’s matchup against Nashville.
Meanwhile, Pietrangelo leads a strong – but sick – supporting cast. He has 33 points in 70 games this season, third-most on the Vegas blue-line. Pietrangelo leads the Golden Knights lineup in average ice time per game with 22:24 – surprisingly the lowest ice time average he’s recorded since his rookie season in 2010-11. He’ll jump right back to a top-pair role when he returns, while Olofsson and Hague will find their way in Vegas’ middle lines. Olofsson has managed 14 goals and 27 points in 54 games this season – stout scoring for his first year with the club. Hague, meanwhile, once again ranks near the bottom of scoring among Golden Knights defenders, with just 11 points in 66 games so far.
Other injury notes from around the league:
- A pair of veteran members of the Avalanche took a step toward returning as Evan Rawal of the Denver Gazette relays that winger Jonathan Drouin joined the team for practice yesterday in a non-contact jersey as he works his way back from a lower-body injury. Meanwhile, defenseman Josh Manson (upper body) skated on his own. Drouin has been banged up all season but has been productive when healthy, collecting 37 points in 43 games, good for sixth on the team in scoring despite missing 37 contests. Manson, meanwhile, has been out for nearly a month now but has done well when playing, collecting 15 points in 48 games while averaging a little over 18 minutes per night of playing time.
- Wild defenseman Jacob Middleton missed his third straight game last night due to an upper-body injury. However, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune notes that the blueliner is a possibility to return for tonight’s contest in Vancouver. Middleton has been a critical part of Minnesota’s back end this year, logging nearly 22 minutes per game of ice time while also chipping in with 20 points in 66 outings. The Wild are still trying to lock down a playoff spot and getting Middleton back would be a big boost to help them try to do just that.
PHR’s Brian La Rose also contributed to this post.