Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek Full Participants At Practice
Minnesota Wild forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek were both full participants in practice today, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic. While their participation doesn’t necessarily mean the two stars are close to a return, their continued progress should serve as an encouraging sign for their playoff availability. The two returned to skating prior to practice just three days ago.
Kaprizov continues to work his way back from what is believed to have been groin surgery, while Eriksson Ek has been out since late February with a lower body injury. While the Wild started the season off hot and find themselves in the first wild card spot in the west, their offense has been inconsistent for much of the year. They are currently the only team in a playoff spot with a negative goal differential (202 goals for, 211 goals against). Their 202 goals on the season are also eighth lowest league-wide. During their absences, players like Matt Boldy, Frédérick Gaudreau, Marco Rossi, and Mats Zuccarello have shouldered the load offensively. However, as Russo also noted, Zuccarello left practice early today, with Kaprizov taking his spot on the top line. No reason for his departure was given.
Kaprizov had be dealing with lingering injury concerns throughout the season before his latest absence but was still making a massive impact for the Wild on the scoresheet. He has 23 goals and 52 points in just 37 games on the season. A return to form for the playoffs could provide the type of spark the Wild’s offense would need for a potential deep run. In his short career, the 27-year-old has shown he can make an impact in the playoffs with 10 goals in 17 career contests.
Veteran Eriksson Ek’s return would give the Wild their top defensive forward back. Eriksson Ek, who has finished top 10 in Selke voting each of the past four years, also provides a great depth scoring option. Despite contributing just 24 points in 42 games on the season, he is coming off of the best season of his career, posting his first career 30-goal season along with a career-high 64 points last season.
As Russo notes, both players are expected to join the team for their three-game road trip, but neither are expected to play this week. However, Kaprizov is expected to meet with his surgeon, and clearance from his medical staff could be the final hurdle to clear towards a return to the lineup.
Eriksson Ek is on standard IR, while Kaprizov is on LTIR. If Minnesota were to have Kaprizov available before the end of the regular season, they’d need to clear roughly $550K in cap space to activate him.
Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek Begin On-Ice Rehab
Wild stars Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek have progressed enough in their recovery from lower-body injuries to return to the ice sheet ahead of today’s practice, relays Michael Russo of The Athletic. Head coach John Hynes stressed the development doesn’t signal a return is imminent for either, but told reporters they’ll both travel on their upcoming road trip after taking the “first step to getting back” (via Jessi Pierce of NHL.com). Continued week-to-week timelines for both make their regular-season availability uncertain, but it’s increasingly likely they’ll become available to the team sometime during the first round of the playoffs if they can hold onto a postseason berth.
Kaprizov underwent what’s believed to be a groin surgery in late January and is now nearly two months removed from that procedure. He was initially expected to return to the lineup shortly after the four-week mark, but for the second time this season, his absence has lasted much longer than initially expected. His injury dates back to a November game, and he missed the tail end of December and most of January after aggravating it. He returned to the lineup for just three games before opting to undergo surgery.
After missing the playoffs in 2024 for the first time in five years, Minnesota was one of the league’s hottest teams to start the season. They went 21-10-4 before Kaprizov’s first extended absence. That provided enough cushion for them to play just above .500 hockey the rest of the way, losing their divisional berth but still likely to hold onto a wild card spot – they have an 84.8% chance at the playoffs entering tonight’s games but could push that number back over 90 with a win over the league-leading Capitals, per MoneyPuck.
Their offense has sputtered with 2.49 goals per game since Dec. 27, and as expected, it’s their top line of Marco Rossi and Mats Zuccarello leading the charge with Matt Boldy skating in Kaprizov’s spot. Those three, as well as Frédérick Gaudreau, are tied for the team lead with 10 goals in 37 games since Kaprizov initially landed on IR.
Serving as Minnesota’s offensive lifeblood since entering the league in 2021, Kaprizov was a legitimate Hart Trophy contender before exiting the lineup. He has 23-29–52 through 37 games, good for a career-high 1.41 points per game that ranks fifth in the league behind Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon, Leon Draisaitl, and Connor McDavid.
His absence alone would be enough to derail a season, but Eriksson Ek, Minnesota’s top matchup center, has also been limited to 9-15–24 in 42 games. He last played on Feb. 22 and sustained a lower-body injury in practice two days later. He’s only been available for 58.3% of Minnesota’s games this year. They’ve had both Eriksson Ek and Kaprizov in the lineup just 24 times in 72 games – exactly one-third of their contests to date in 2024-25.
Having both in the lineup for Game 1 of a first-round series, which will likely be against either the Golden Knights or Jets, is a must-have for Minnesota to pull off an upset. Assuming they make the postseason, MoneyPuck only gives them a 24% chance of advancing to the second round.
Eriksson Ek is on standard IR, while Kaprizov is on LTIR. If Minnesota were to have Kaprizov available before the end of the regular season, they’d need to clear roughly $550K in cap space to activate him.
Latest On Minnesota Wild Injuries
March 26: The Wild returned Crotty to the minors late last night after he didn’t enter the lineup, per a team announcement.
March 25: Throughout each season, a handful of teams fall into the well of persistent injury bugs. For yet another year, the Minnesota Wild have found themselves firmly in that rut – with persistent injuries holding stars like Kirill Kaprizov, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Jonas Brodin to fewer than 45 games each. All three options remain sidelined as April rolls around, though recent updates could see them back in the fold soon.
Minnesota recalled depth defenseman Cameron Crotty under emergency conditions on Tuesday morning. The move was made in case Brodin – who sat out of Monday night’s 3-0 loss to Dallas for rest – was unable to go once again, per Michael Russo of The Athletic. But with Tuesday’s matchup against Vegas drawing close, Russo has updated that Brodin will in fact play per head coach John Hynes. Crotty could still get a chance to go, though – as Russo has shared that Declan Chisholm is day-to-day with a lower-body injury after blocking a shot from Matt Dumba on Monday.
Assuming he’s in, Crotty will be playing in just the second NHL game of his career on Tuesday, after debuting with the Arizona Coyotes last year. The right-shot 25-year-old has managed eight assists, 47 penalty minutes, and a minus-nine in 56 AHL games this season. Those totals are a slight downtick from the 13 points he potted in 64 games of the 2022-23 season, then repeated in 55 games of the 2023-24 season.
Crotty landed as the Wild’s emergency recall after top prospect and routine middle-man David Jiricek was himself injured in the Iowa Wild’s Monday night contest. Jiricek had seven assists in 27 AHL games. No specifics have been revealed about his injury or timeline, but Russo shares that he’s expected to be out for a while. None of Minnesota’s other AHL defensemen – including Carson Lambos, David Spacek, Joseph Cecconi, and Ryan O’Rourke – have yet made their NHL debuts.
Despite the mess of news surrounding the Wild’s blue-line, they’ll enter Tuesday’s game with positive momentum. Brodin is a major addition to the lineup, and showed flashes of bouncing back to form when he recorded an assist on Saturday, playing in his first game after a month-long absence due to injury. He skated in 21 minutes of action, just shy of the 22:38 in ice time that Brodin has averaged through 39 games this season. In those minutes, he’s recorded 19 points, 14 penalty minutes, and a plus-11. Those are strong numbers that, mixed with the rookie Crotty, should help make up for the hold Chisholm leaves on Minnesota’s bottom pair. Chisholm has 12 points, 10 penalty minutes, and a minus-five in 61 games this season. He’s playing through his first full year in the NHL after marking his rookie season last year.
The Wild have more good news waiting in their wings. Russo went on to share that stars Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek are both expected to begin skating this weekend. The pair have been in-and-out of the lineup, with Kaprizov missing 21 games and Eriksson Ek missing 14 with their current injuries. It’s an understatement to say the two are crucial to the Wild lineup. They operate as clear top-line and special teams options for the club, and each average near or north of 20 minutes of ice time each game. Kaprizov led the team in scoring at the time of his injury with 23 goals and 52 points in just 37 games. That mark put him on pace for an amazing 115 points, which would have upended his career-high, and the Wild single-season scoring record, of 108 points set in the 2021-22 season. Eriksson Ek has been far more modest, with just 24 points in 42 games – though his all-three-zones impact has made his absences noticeable.
Minnesota has seen a surge from their 23-year-olds in the absence of their stars. Winger Matt Boldy now leads the team in scoring with 23 goals and 60 points on the season. Center Marco Rossi isn’t too far behind him, with 22 goals and 54 points in as many games. The pair will likely both take a hit to their ice time and special teams usage when Minnesota is back to full health, though their breakout performances are a clear indication of what’s soon to come for the Wild.
Wild Notes: Brodin, Bogosian, Deadline Plans
Another day, another longer-term injury for the Minnesota Wild. NHL.com writer Jessi Pierce shared that defenseman Jonas Brodin is expected to miss the next few weeks with a lower-body injury. One can reasonably assume that Brodin will be placed on the injured reserve relatively soon, but Minnesota didn’t announce any such roster move, despite confirming the news.
The 13-year veteran for the Wild exited the team’s recent game against the Colorado Avalanche after playing in only 15:47 of action. He earned a -2 rating while blocking four shots and putting one on the net. As one of the better defensive-minded players on the roster, Brodin’s exit from Minnesota’s lineup won’t help the team improve upon the 3.75 GA/G average they sustained throughout February.
Brodin, who’s dealt with multiple injuries the last few years, joins forwards Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov as Wild players out with longer-term injuries. Thankfully, there is some positive news on the injury front. Pierce also mentioned defenseman Zach Bogosian will return today from his minor lower-body injury. The former third-overall pick of the 2008 NHL Draft missed Minnesota’s intra-divisional matchup on Friday against the Avalanche.
Although this is a perfect time to replace injured players in the NHL calendar, the Wild aren’t expected to do much else. Pierce later shared that Minnesota is expecting back Brodin, Eriksson Ek, and Kaprizov before the regular season’s conclusion, which will have some financial limitations.
The Wild made one addition yesterday by acquiring Gustav Nyquist (50% retained) from the Nashville Predators for a 2026 second-round pick. Still, they later had to reassign forwards Marat Khusnutdinov and Liam Ohgren to their AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild, to make the money work.
Because of the salary cap burden, general manager Bill Guerin shared with The Athletic’s Michael Russo that any further trade before Friday’s deadline must be “penny in, penny out.” Normally, Bogosian’s, Jonathon Merrill‘s, or Declan Chisholm‘s contracts would be reasonable trade fodder in a money-in, money-out deal. Unfortunately, the numerous injuries on Minnesota’s blue line should preclude them from moving out additional depth. The quote from Guerin likely means the Wild are done making moves for the deadline season.
Wild Place Joel Eriksson Ek On Injured Reserve
Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek has landed on injured reserve with an undisclosed injury he sustained in yesterday’s practice, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports. He’s been ruled out for a week as a result but will be out “a lot longer” than that, according to Russo. Left-winger Jakub Lauko will be activated off injured reserve in a corresponding move. The team later confirmed Eriksson Ek sustained a lower-body injury and has been given a week-to-week designation.
Injuries just won’t stop piling up for Minnesota. They’re now without their All-Star scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, and their top minute-munching center, Eriksson Ek, for the foreseeable future. The former was initially expected to return around the trade deadline after undergoing lower-body surgery late last month. However, general manager Bill Guerin said last weekend that he’s likely to blow past his four-to-six-week return target and won’t be back in the lineup until later in March at the earliest.
It remains to be seen how much longer Eriksson Ek will be sidelined beyond Minnesota’s next four games in seven days. Each game is crucial for the Wild, who still have a 97.7% chance of making the playoffs (per MoneyPuck), but that number undoubtedly takes a marginal hit without Eriksson Ek’s services. Luckily for them, only four out of their next 10 games are against teams currently in playoff position. Less fortunately, two of those four games are against the Avalanche – the team with the best chance of knocking Minnesota out of third place in the Central Division. The Wild still have a four-point cushion on the Avs with two fewer games played, though, so they would require a serious slide to lose their divisional berth.
Eriksson Ek has already had an injury-plagued campaign. He missed a pair of contests in October with a nasal fracture and has since missed 13 total games with lower-body injuries. Sources tell Russo it’s a lower-body issue keeping him sidelined again this time, although it’s unclear if it’s related to his previous absences. As a result, his offensive production has deteriorated. He’s managed 9-15–24 through 42 appearances, a 47-point pace over 82 games. That comes on the heels of back-to-back 60-point showings for the Swedish center, who notched a career-high 30 goals and 64 points in 77 games for the Wild in 2023-24.
For as long as Eriksson Ek is out, 23-year-old pivot Marco Rossi is Minnesota’s undisputed No. 1 center. For most of this season, he’s skated on the “top” line alongside Kaprizov (when healthy). However, he doesn’t see penalty kill usage like Eriksson Ek and has thus averaged 1:26 less ice time per game in all situations. The latter’s injury surely takes the developing Rossi out of any trade conversations – even if Guerin was planning to leverage the pending RFA in a blockbuster, they can’t afford to lose him now. He’s tied for the team lead in assists (29) and ranks third in goals (20) and points (49).
The center group behind Rossi is uninspiring. Ryan Hartman has spent most of this season on the wing but has played a lot of center for the Wild in the past. He likely would have been their top choice to shift into top-six minutes in lieu of Eriksson Ek, but he, too, has been ruled out for the next four games after having his initial 10-game suspension for roughing Ottawa’s Tim Stützle before the 4 Nations break reduced to eight upon appeal by commissioner Gary Bettman yesterday. As things stand, Frédérick Gaudreau, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Lauko, who’s taken less than 30 faceoffs over his three-year NHL career, will anchor Minnesota’s other three lines.
Regarding Lauko, the 24-year-old has been limited to 33 appearances this season with a recurring lower-body issue, believed to be a muscle strain. He last suited up on Feb. 4 against his former team, the Bruins, and missed the final three games before the break. He’s made just 12 appearances since Thanksgiving.
Snapshots: Greenway, Crosby, Eriksson Ek, Demko
Discussions about a possible contract extension have not started between the Sabres and pending UFA winger Jordan Greenway, reports Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News. The trade deadline is now less than a month away but it doesn’t appear discussions about a possible new deal will begin until much closer to that time though there is believed to be mutual interest in getting an agreement in place. Greenway is expected to return from his mid-body injury after the break, an injury that will have kept him out for more than two months. The 27-year-old has three goals and four assists in 20 games this season and will likely be heading for a small raise on his current $3MM price tag on his next contract.
More from around the NHL:
- Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan told reporters including NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman that center Sidney Crosby skated again today as he works his way back from an upper-body injury. He added that the captain felt significantly better today which suggests he shouldn’t be out much longer. Now, the focus turns to the 4 Nations Face-Off where Crosby is set to be Canada’s captain. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relays (Twitter link) that it will ultimately be Crosby’s decision on whether he participates or withdraws due to the injury. Final rosters have to be submitted on Monday so a decision will need to be made quickly on that front.
- The Wild announced (Twitter link) that center Joel Eriksson Ek was scratched from tonight’s game due to a lower-body injury. It has been a tough year on the injury front for the veteran who has already missed 14 games due to a pair of lower-body issues and a broken nose. In between those, he has scuffled a bit offensively, notching just nine goals and 14 assists in 41 games after putting up his second straight year of more than 60 points last season. He’s slated to play for Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off; The Athletic’s Michael Russo notes (Twitter link) that it’s uncertain if the injury will keep Eriksson Ek from playing in the event.
- The Canucks announced (Twitter link) that goaltender Thatcher Demko left tonight’s game versus Toronto early due to injury and did not return. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston adds that Demko was seen wincing after making some saves during the warm up. The 29-year-old has been limited to just 19 games this season after missing the first two months while working his way back from an injured popliteus muscle in his left knee.
Minnesota Wild Activate Joel Eriksson Ek
After starting the season with a 17-4-4 record through their first 25 games the Minnesota Wild have struggled of late with a 5-6-0 record in their last 11. Minnesota needed a boost in a major way and will get one in the form of top center Joel Eriksson Ek whom the team has activated off the injured reserve.
Minnesota’s fall from the top of the Central Division is directly related to Eriksson Ek’s absence. The team has struggled to find a proper solution down the middle in Eriksson Ek’s absence outside of Marco Rossi. The youngster has been nearly a point-per-game player without Eriksson Ek scoring five goals and nine points in the last 11 games but the Wild don’t have another legitimate top-six center option behind him.
Eriksson Ek’s scoring has depressed this season when healthy with five goals and 13 points in 22 games. That 0.59 point-per-game average is nearly a third lower than what he’s been producing the last few years in Minnesota. Still, Eriksson Ek has provided quality play in the faceoff dot and is very responsible on the defensive side of the puck.
The recent injury will likely hinder Eriksson Ek’s efforts to capture his first Selke Trophy given that he only play a maximum of 68 games this year. He’s finished in the top 10 of Selke votes the last four years and was averaging the highest on-ice save percentage of his career before suffering the lower-body injury.
Eriksson Ek’s absence also raised some important questions for the Wild. It proved that Minnesota lacks depth down the middle which needs to be filled if they have any hopes of competing in the tough Central Division down the stretch. The lingering buyout penalties for Zach Parise and Ryan Suter limit Minnesota to approximately $2MM in deadline cap space making their lives that much harder.
Still, the Wild could trade some salary off the roster such as Zach Bogosian or Jonathon Merrill, and acquire a player with term given that Parise and Suter’s buyout penalties effectively end after this season. Minnesota has already traded away their first-round pick this season in the trade that brought David Jiříček to the organization so that will be another limiting factor heading into deadline season.
Central Notes: Stars, Avalanche, Wild, Bortuzzo
The Stars are being investigated by the league for a possible CBA violation over the holiday break, report Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic (subscription link). Head coach Peter DeBoer indicated on Friday that there was an optional skate held on Thursday. However, teams aren’t permitted to hold any sort of on-ice sessions with players between December 24th and 26th with this skate being held on the 26th. The league sent a memo to all 32 teams on Monday reminding them of the rule prohibiting travel or ice time. Back in 2022, Toronto was fined $100K for violating the travel portion of the rule so if the league levies a penalty to Dallas following their investigation, it’s likely to be at or above that amount.
More from the Central:
- Avalanche defenseman Oliver Kylington had been listed as out week-to-week but that has been changed to month-to-month, reports NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding (Bluesky link). He has missed the last four weeks with an upper-body injury but hasn’t been progressing in his recovery. However, there should be some good news coming on the injury front as Boulding adds that winger Jonathan Drouin could return on Tuesday. He has missed the last month with an upper-body injury and has been limited to just five games so far this season due to injuries.
- Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek skated today and the team is hopeful he can return to the lineup in one of Minnesota’s next two games, notes Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune (Twitter link). He has missed a little more than three weeks with a lower-body injury and while he was off to a rough start offensively with 13 points in 22 games, he’d be a welcome addition to a Wild group that has struggled in recent weeks.
- Utah defenseman Robert Bortuzzo skated with the team today and has been cleared for contact, relays Brogan Houston of the Deseret News (Twitter link). The veteran has missed a little over two weeks so far due to a lower-body injury. Bortuzzo has played in 15 games this season but has been limited to just two assists in a little over 11 minutes a night of ice time.
Wild Issue Multiple Injury Updates, Place Eriksson Ek On IR
12/6: According to a team announcement, the Wild have placed Eriksson Ek on injured reserve as expected. His placement on the team’s injured reserve will likely be made retroactive to December 4th.
12/4: Depth is becoming an important factor for the best team in the league. This afternoon, the Minnesota Wild issued multiple injury updates regarding the status of Joel Eriksson Ek, Jonas Brodin, Mats Zuccarello, and Jakub Lauko.
The organization confirmed the earlier report from Michael Russo of The Athletic stating that top center Eriksson Ek would be considered week-to-week with a lower-body injury. If there’s one area of weakness Minnesota could enhance via the trade market, it would be their center depth. The Wild have managed a 1-1-1 record in the three games Eriksson Ek has already missed this season and they will now have to rely on Marco Rossi as their first-line middleman.
Rossi is adequate for this role but it thins out behind him. Minnesota will deploy a rotation of Frederick Gaudreau, Marat Khusnutdinov, and Ben Jones to center the remaining three lines which isn’t typically the quality seen from first-place teams.
The Wild could gauge the trade market for a center depending on the severity of Eriksson Ek’s injury. Minnesota already swung one of the season’s biggest trades when they acquired David Jiříček from the Columbus Blue Jackets. Jake Evans of the Montreal Canadiens comes to mind as a rental piece with playoff experience that would boost Minnesota’s depth down the middle.
The remaining injury updates didn’t have any surprises. Brodin and Zuccarello are still considered week-to-week with their respective injuries while Lauko is only on a day-to-day basis. Brodin and Lauko are on the team’s injured reserve while Zuccarello and his $4.125MM salary are on the long-term injured reserve. Still, with six out of their next 10 games against opponents currently positioned for a playoff spot, the Wild’s depth will surely be tested.
Central Notes: Predators, Novak, Wild, Hall, Stanley
Originally announced in Elliotte Friedman’s ’32 Thoughts’ and expanded upon by Alex Daugherty of the Tennessean, the Nashville Predators are looking to buy. The Predators are looking to claw their way out of an early 6-10-3 record after spending $108MM on Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei this past offseason.
Friedman suggests Nashville is looking to add a top-four defenseman with term and a center to no surprise. In our recent diagnosis of the issues plaguing Nashville, a second-line center and a top-four defenseman topped the list of priorities.
The Predators have used a combination of Juuso Parssinen and Colton Sissons as the team’s second-line centers to unfortunate results. The two have combined for seven points this season and simply haven’t generated the offense required to keep them in the top six long-term. The defensive pairing of Jeremy Lauzon and Alexandre Carrier have combined for an abysmal 39.2% xGoals% according to MoneyPuck despite playing the most minutes of any defensive pair on the roster.
Other Central notes:
- Nashville could get a boost to their second line in the form of forward Thomas Novak who’s expected to return tonight after missing the team’s last six games (X Link). Novak has disappointed like many players on the Predators with three goals and four points in 13 games but is only a year removed from scoring 35 goals and 88 points in 122 games for Nashville.
- There’s no long-term injury concern for either Joel Eriksson Ek or Jonas Brodin for the Minnesota Wild. Michael Russo of The Athletic reported that both players are still waiting on medical clearance but should be available for tomorrow night’s contest. Eriksson Ek has only missed the last game for the Wild while Brodin has missed the past two.
- The Chicago Blackhawks made a surprising move in their most recent game against the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday as they made forward Taylor Hall a healthy scratch. He’s had a subpar season for his standards scoring two goals and six points through 17 contests. Still, the scratch caught him off guard with Charlie Roumeliotis of WGN quoting Hall saying, “I was surprised by it. It was unexpected from the standpoint of I just didn’t know I was even close to being in that spot, really. If there were some conversations in the days leading up about my game or if I was constantly being shown video it would be one thing, but I was a bit surprised.”
- There was good news on the blue line for the Winnipeg Jets this afternoon with the team sharing that Ville Heinola has been activated off the team’s injured reserve. Still, it’s not all positive news concerning Jets’ defensemen as color analyst Mitchell Clinton reports that although Logan Stanley is expected to join Winnipeg on their upcoming road trip, he’s not expected to skate for the next four to five days. Stanley has been on Winnipeg’s injured reserve since November 12th with an undisclosed injury.