- Prior to tonight’s game, the Wild announced (Twitter link) that winger Jordan Greenway wouldn’t play. No, it’s not another recurrence of the upper-body injury that has plagued him all season. Instead, he’s out with a non-COVID illness. Meanwhile, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune relays (Twitter link) that winger Mats Zuccarello will accompany the team on their upcoming road trip after missing both Saturday’s game and tonight’s. Between his injury and Greenway’s illness, Minnesota only has 11 healthy forwards on their roster and as a result, had to dress seven blueliners against St. Louis.
Wild Rumors
Marc-Andre Fleury Away From Minnesota Wild For Personal Reasons
The Minnesota Wild are certainly thankful Filip Gustavsson is feeling healthy enough to play once again, as they’ll be down a separate netminder. According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to be away from the team at least for one game due to personal reasons. Zane McIntyre, who was recalled due to Gustavsson’s illness, is still with the team to backup Gustavsson.
It’s unclear what the issue is for Fleury, however as Russo details, it appears to stem back as far as New Year’s Eve. Of course, Fleury and his family are entitled to their privacy in what are likely difficult times. Russo adds that as of right now, the expectation is Fleury would leave the Wild this morning and return home to Montreal before rejoining the team on Tuesday in New York City. After playing at home tonight, the Wild head to New York to play the Rangers on Tuesday and the Islanders Thursday, heading home for one game Saturday against the Arizona Coyotes, then heading back out east for four games.
Fleury, 38, has already established himself as a likely Hall-of-Famer, but hasn’t been his usual self this season, recording a 2.94 goals against and .901 save-percentage. Fortunately for the Wild, they’ve received superb goaltending from Gustavsson, the usual backup, who has turned in a 2.24 goals-against and .924 save-percentage in 15 games.
Filip Gustavsson Expected To Play Sunday After Dealing With Illness
- Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson, who last played Wednesday and has been out with a non-COVID illness since, is expected to start this evening’s game at home against the St. Louis Blues, says The Athletic’s Joe Smith. Gustavsson’s illness had apparently been enough that he couldn’t simply back-up for Marc-Andre Fleury, but the team had to instead recall netminder Zane McIntyre on an emergency basis Friday morning. The Wild play at home this evening before a two game midweek road trip to New York City and Long Island.
Minnesota Wild, Matt Boldy Discussing Extension
- The Minnesota Wild are dealing with a difficult cap crunch at the moment which has made, and will continue to make, extending their players and bringing in new ones rather challenging. One player the team will certainly have to work in a new contract for is 21-year-old Matt Boldy. The second-year forward is in the final year of his entry-level contract, set to hit the RFA market this summer. Fortunately, as The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports, both the Wild and Boldy’s agent, Brian Bartlett, have begun working on a new deal. Russo adds that talks are in the very early stages, but the expectation is that Boldy’s next contract will be a bridge deal.
Mats Zuccarello Out For This Weekend's Games
The Minnesota Wild will be without a member of their top line this weekend. Dane Mizutani of The Pioneer Press reports that right wing Mats Zuccarello is out with an upper-body injury and won’t play in their games against the Buffalo Sabres and St. Louis Blues this weekend.
Zuccarello, now 35, is second on the Wild in scoring and is again producing at over a point-per-game pace after doing so for the first time in his career last season. His 16 goals, 24 assists, and 40 points are all second on the team behind linemate Kirill Kaprizov, who is heading to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game in South Florida, as announced last night.
However, Mizutani also reports that the Wild will get gritty winger Brandon Duhaime back in the lineup, who hasn’t played since American Thanksgiving. It doesn’t appear to be a long-term absence for Zuccarello, who Mizutani says hopes to re-join the team for next week’s road trip to New York.
Filip Gustavsson Dealing With Illness
- During last night’s game, Minnesota Wild goaltender Filip Gustavsson was suddenly removed from the net. Head coach Dean Evason told reporters including Joe Smith of The Athletic afterward that he didn’t know what was going on, only that Gustavsson “skated off and puked his brains out.” Michael Russo of The Athletic confirms today that it was an illness, not an injury, that caused the departure and that there is no recall anticipated by the Wild.
Minnesota Wild Reassign Adam Beckman, Sammy Walker
The Minnesota Wild have sent forwards Adam Beckman and Sammy Walker back to the AHL’s Iowa Wild, according to a team tweet today.
Both Beckman and Walker were called up on December 26 after Marcus Foligno didn’t travel with the team to Winnipeg for the game against the Jets on the 27th. The young players traveled with the team for their last two games of the year. Walker had one goal, and Beckman didn’t get on the scoresheet.
In the AHL, both players are doing considerably well. Beckman has 15 points in 25 games, and Walker has 24 points in 23 games.
Walker especially has been a nice surprise for the Wild after signing as a free agent out of the University of Minnesota. He’s gotten into six contests with the Wild over the course of the year, scoring just the one goal, but has used his speed to draw attention early on in his career. In no time, he’s worked his way up to the top of the organizational depth chart in terms of AHL call-up options.
Foligno Likely To Play Saturday, Eriksson Ek Banged Up
The Wild should get a key winger back for tomorrow’s game against St. Louis as Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Marcus Foligno is expected to return from the lower-body injury he sustained a week and a half ago. The 31-year-old had a career-high 23 goals last season but has managed just three in 27 games so far this year although he’s still averaging more than three hits per game. Minnesota has an open spot on their roster so no corresponding move will need to be made to activate him off IR.
However, it might not be all good news for the Wild as center Joel Eriksson Ek missed practice today with head coach Dean Evason acknowledging that he’s banged up at the moment. The 25-year-old sits tied for third in team scoring with 27 points (12-15-27) in 35 games. He’s listed as questionable for Saturday’s contest.
Joel Eriksson Ek Absent From Practice; Brandon Duhaime, Marcus Foligno Skate
A mixed bag of news is coming out of Minnesota Wild practice this morning. The Star Tribune’s Sarah McLellan reports Joel Eriksson Ek is absent from practice, although injured forwards Brandon Duhaime and Marcus Foligno are skating.
Wild Place Marcus Foligno On IR, Re-Assign Andrej Sustr
Dec 28: Sustr has been returned to the AHL, after Jacob Middleton was back at practice for the Wild today.
Dec 27: After recalling a pair of forwards yesterday, the Wild have made two more roster moves today. They announced the recall of defenseman Andrej Sustr from AHL Iowa with winger Marcus Foligno being placed on injured reserve to create roster room for Sustr’s promotion.
Sustr is in his first season with Minnesota after signing a two-way deal with them at the beginning of free agency. This is the 32-year-old’s second recall of the month although he didn’t see any NHL action in the week and a half that he was up earlier. Sustr has six points in 20 AHL contests this season and will likely be a reserve defender on this recall as well as the Wild now have eight rearguards on their active roster.
As for Foligno, the veteran has had a bit of a tough year. He missed time with an upper-body injury earlier this season while it’s a lower-body issue that will keep him out this time around. The 31-year-old had 23 goals in 2021-22 but has managed just three so far this season in 27 games although he does lead the team with 90 hits. Michael Russo of The Athletic notes (Twitter link) that Foligno’s placement is back-dated to December 21st so he could be activated for Thursday’s game against Dallas if he’s ready to return.