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Mats Zuccarello

Wild Place Mats Zuccarello On Injured Reserve, Out 3-4 Weeks

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The Wild placed winger Mats Zuccarello on injured reserve with a lower-body issue, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports Friday. He left Thursday’s win over the Canadiens in the first period and did not return after taking a Brock Faber shot to the groin. As a result, Russo added, he’s expected to miss three to four weeks. The injury required minor surgery, which Zuccarello underwent successfully after the game last night.

Minnesota will also issue an update on center Joel Eriksson Ek’s status later today, Russo said. He also left last night’s win in the first period with an undisclosed injury just one shift after Zuccarello departed the game.

Now in his age-37 season, Zuccarello has once again been an extremely valuable secondary scoring piece for the Wild. Age hasn’t slowed the diminutive Norwegian down one bit, and he ranks third on the team in scoring with 14 points (6 G, 8 A) in 16 games while averaging 17:26 of ice time. His line with Kirill Kaprizov and Marco Rossi has been one of the NHL’s best en route to an 11-2-3 start to the season for Minnesota, which is currently on pace for its best record in franchise history by a considerable margin.

Zuccarello’s IR placement leaves the Wild with 12 forwards on the active roster, a number that will drop to 11 healthy ones if Eriksson Ek misses any time. Expect a recall ahead of Saturday’s game against the Stars, which everything indicates will be Michael Milne’s NHL debut after the 22-year-old left-winger was initially recalled from AHL Iowa earlier this month. Options for another recall include Liam Ohgren, who has four goals in four games since being reassigned at the end of October, or veteran Travis Boyd, who leads Iowa in scoring with 11 points in 11 games.

Zuccarello is in the first season of the two-year, $8.25MM extension he inked in September 2023.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Injury Notes: Eriksson Ek, Zuccarello, Arvidsson, Chytil, Sturm

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The Minnesota Wild are losing a pair of top-six forwards in their game tonight against the Montreal Canadiens. The organization announced that Joel Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello would not return after the first period due to lower-body injuries.

Zuccarello left tonight’s game with approximately seven minutes left in the first period. He was positioned in front of Montreal’s net when a deflected point shot from defenseman Brock Faber seemingly hit Zuccarello in the groin. He could skate off the ice under his power but was reasonably in plenty of pain.

Eriksson Ek’s injury is a bit more difficult to ascertain. Nothing notable was caught on video regarding the incident leading to the injury but he was seen skating off the ice in some duress. He will exit tonight’s contest after having only managed 3:43 of ice time while Zuccarello only skated in 3:15.

Other injury notes:

  • Jason Gregor of Sportsnet 1440 reported that the Edmonton Oilers would be without forward Viktor Arvidsson against the Nashville Predators tonight. Gregor didn’t allude to any injury concerns for Arvidsson but did say he’s expected to play this weekend. Arvidsson has scored two goals and five points through 16 games in his first season in Alberta.
  • K’Andre Miller and Filip Chytil accidentally collided in the second period of tonight’s matchup between the New York Rangers and San Jose Sharks. Unfortunately, the Rangers announced that Chytil wouldn’t return to the game due to an upper-body injury. Chytil was slow to get to his feet and it’s uncertain whether it’s a precautionary move given Chytil’s recent battle with concussions.
  • Chytil wasn’t the only player in tonight’s game to leave the contest. Shortly before Chytil’s injury took place, the Sharks announced Nico Sturm wouldn’t return due to an upper-body injury. Sturm’s injury appears non-contact in nature which could lead to a larger concern from the Sharks. Now in his third year in San Jose, Sturm has already missed 27 games for the Sharks due to injury.

Central Notes: Stars, McGroarty, Niederreiter, Wild

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Looking to clinch home-ice advantage through the Western Conference Finals tomorrow night against the St. Louis Blues, the Dallas Stars will be without defenseman Jani Hakanpaa according to Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. However, in the same report, after being a full participant in practice this morning, forward Evgenii Dadonov will be a game-time decision.

Having already missed the last 13 games for the Stars due to a lower-body injury, the organization does not seem keen to rush Hakanpaa back and potentially reaggravate his injury before the playoffs. Even though he is one of the team’s better physical defensemen, Dallas hasn’t missed a beat in Hakanpaa’s absence, as they’ve produced a 10-2-0 record while limiting opponents to just a 1.92 goals against per game on average.

Unlike Hakanpaa, Dadonov has been out of the lineup for the last two months with a lower-body injury, which will cap him at only 51 games played this year if he can play in tomorrow night’s contest. With the team on the precipice of the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs, Dadonov may find himself in the press box for much of the postseason but could add some offensive punch to the team’s fourth line.

Other Central notes:

  •  After his sophomore season came to an end on April 11th against the Boston College Eagles, Rutger McGroarty is opting to forego signing an entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets and will return to the University of Michigan next year according to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. Displaying a very mature sense of hockey IQ for his age, the 14th overall pick of the 2022 NHL Draft showed off with an elite playmaking season with the Wolverines. Helping his team make their third straight Frozen Four appearance, McGroarty scored 16 goals and 52 points over 36 games this year and should become a fixture of the Hobey Baker Award conversation next season.
  • Missing the last five games due to an Achilles injury, Nino Niederreiter should return to the lineup tonight against the Seattle Kraken (X Link). During the organization’s game against the Los Angeles Kings on April 1st, Niederreiter sustained a cut to his tendon, which required eight stitches to close. With the team still having two games left to play, Winnipeg will need only one point to clinch the second spot in the Central Division.
  • With their season set to come to an end on Wednesday evening, the Minnesota Wild will get forward Frederick Gaudreau back in the lineup as he has officially returned from personal leave according to Sarah McLellan of Star Tribune Sports. Unfortunately, it does not appear that Mats Zuccarello will return to the team before their final game, meaning he will finish the year with 11 goals and 62 points in 68 games.

Central Notes: Coyotes, Zuccarello, Gaudreau, Krug, Neighbours

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A relocation to Salt Lake City for 2024-25 seems the overwhelmingly likely end to a years-long solution to the Coyotes’ long-term future in Arizona. Reporting yesterday indicated significant progress had been made between Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo, the NHL, and prospective Salt Lake owner Smith Entertainment Group on an agreement to sell the club. Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli and Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman also told PHNX Sports that a move to Utah had a “90 to 95 percent chance” of going through.

What’s less certain is a timeline. Speaking on “Insider Trading” on Thursday, TSN’s Pierre LeBrun said an official announcement coming immediately after the Coyotes’ season ends next week is “a little hopeful.” Out of the multiple reports that circulated yesterday, a few suggested the sale to SEG could be announced as soon as April 18. When the Atlanta Thrashers moved to Winnipeg in 2011, the most recent instance of NHL relocation, the sale wasn’t made official until late May. However, LeBrun says that’s too far down a potential timeline. If the league hasn’t confirmed a move to Salt Lake before then, it’s likely not happening this offseason, and another season in Arizona at Tempe’s Mullett Arena is likely in store.

Other news and notes from the Central:

  • Wild forwards Frédérick Gaudreau and Mats Zuccarello did not travel with the team on their West Coast road trip due to personal reasons and are both doubtful tomorrow against the Golden Knights, head coach John Hynes told Michael Russo of The Athletic. Considering there’s a possibility they may travel and join the team in Las Vegas tomorrow, it’s unlikely they’ll miss the entirety of Minnesota’s three-game road swing, their last of the season. Regardless of their availability, 2022 first-round pick Liam Öhgren will make his NHL debut, said Hynes, although it may impact where he plays in the lineup. He’s currently projected to occupy a third-line role at left wing alongside Marat Khusnutdinov and Vinni Lettieri. Gaudreau, 30, has struggled mightily in the first season of a five-year, $10.5MM extension, limited to five goals and 15 points in 65 games while posting a team-worst -21 rating. Meanwhile, Zuccarello is chugging along in his age-36 season, still sitting just south of point-per-game territory with 62 in 68 appearances.
  • The Blues could be without defenseman Torey Krug and winger Jake Neighbours tomorrow against the Hurricanes due to upper-body injuries. Krug is listed as questionable, while Neighbours has already been ruled out, interim head coach Drew Bannister told Lou Korac of NHL.com and The Hockey News. The former has missed a couple of games recently, sitting out last weekend’s contest against the Sharks due to illness and missing a late-March contest against the Senators with a lower-body injury. He’s been hot lately when in the lineup, recording three points in his last three games. He’s got 39 in 77 appearances, tying last season for his worst points-per-game rate since 2015. It’s been a more successful campaign for the 22-year-old Neighbours, who’s broken out for 27 goals and 38 points in 77 games in his sophomore campaign.

West Notes: Predators, Wild, Kunin, Eklund

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With the Predators hanging around the playoff race, it’s unlikely they’ll be significant buyers or sellers by Friday’s trade deadline.  However, that doesn’t mean they won’t be active on the trade front.  Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek reports that the team has made it known that they’re open to weaponizing their cap space – more than $37MM available on deadline day, per CapFriendly – to add assets.  That could come in the form of being a third-party retainer although they only have one retention slot left.  Alternatively, they could take on an undesirable contract or two while adding future assets in return for taking those on.  If they’re willing to do so, GM Barry Trotz will undoubtedly have some teams calling him to see what the price of that might be.

More from the Western Conference:

  • The Wild were without a pair of wingers for their game tonight against San Jose. The team announced (Twitter link) that Mats Zuccarello was out for personal reasons.  The 36-year-old is hovering near the point-per-game mark this year with 50 points in his first 52 appearances.  Meanwhile, NHL.com’s Jessi Pierce adds (Twitter link) that winger Marcus Johansson is dealing with a lower-body injury that kept him out of the lineup.  Johansson isn’t producing at the rate he was down the stretch last season but still has 27 points in 61 games.
  • Sharks forward Luke Kunin has been speculated as a possible trade candidate before Friday’s deadline. However, he told San Jose Hockey Now’s Josh Frojelin that he’s hoping to stay with the team although he acknowledged there haven’t been any discussions about an extension so far.  It has been a rough year for the 26-year-old who has just eight goals and four assists in 54 games.  Owed a $3MM qualifying offer, he currently profiles as a possible non-tender candidate in June.
  • Still with the Sharks, they announced (Twitter link) that forward William Eklund was scratched from tonight’s game due to illness. The 21-year-old is in his first full season at the NHL level and has fared relatively well, all things considered.  Eklund has 10 goals and 17 assists through 59 games so far and while those numbers don’t jump off the board, they’re good for third on San Jose in scoring.

West Notes: Markstrom, Oilers, Zuccarello, McCarron

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Flames goaltender Jacob Markstrom is no stranger to the rumor mill having been prominently featured in trade speculation in recent weeks.  Evidently, he’s not particularly thrilled about that happening.  Speaking with reporters including Sportsnet’s Eric Francis, the veteran suggested that he isn’t happy with how things have gone on that front:

“Everyone in here I really respect everything that’s been going on, and not going on, and how everyone in this room has handled everything. I think it’s been really good. And then the whole situation and everything, am I happy about that? No, I’m not. I think it could have been handled a lot different from up top.”

With Calgary already having moved Elias Lindholm, Chris Tanev, and Nikita Zadorov and the belief that Noah Hanifin will soon follow, many have wondered if Markstrom could follow suit, especially with several teams looking for help between the pipes.  But the Flames remain in a battle for a playoff spot with the 34-year-old being a big reason for that so it’s far from a guarantee that they’ll want to move him even if a team comes to the table.  However, how things have played out publicly when it comes to the trade speculation certainly appears to be a sore spot for Markstrom.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • Many eyes are on the Oilers as they look to augment their roster before the March 8th trade deadline. In an interview with Sportsnet’s Mark Spector, GM Ken Holland indicated that there are “lots of irons in the fire” as it pertains to trade discussions.  Holland typically makes a move or two each deadline and while cap space is limited for Edmonton, it wouldn’t be surprising for that to continue this season.  The Oilers have already made one move in recent weeks with the signing of Corey Perry who has five points in 13 games since joining them back in January.
  • The Department of Player Safety announced that they’ve fined Wild winger Mats Zuccarello and Predators winger Michael McCarron $2K each for unsportsmanlike conduct during the second period of Thursday’s game. Both players received minor penalties on the play.  The money from the fines goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.

Minnesota Wild Activate Mats Zuccarello From Injured Reserve

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As alluded to yesterday in recent reports, the Minnesota Wild have officially activated forward Mats Zuccarello off of injured reserve, per a team announcement. Having been injured since December 16th, Zuccarello will likely be in the lineup tomorrow night as the Wild take on the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Before the announcement, Zuccarello was one of five players currently on the injured reserve for Minnesota, with top players such as Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon sidelined as well. Even beyond the regular injured reserve, defenseman Jonas Brodin currently finds himself on long-term injured reserve, severely limiting the Wild’s depth over the last couple of weeks.

Specifically with Zuccarello sidelined with an upper-body injury, Minnesota has produced a 4-5-0 record in his absence, with four of those losses coming in their last four games. As the defense and goaltending have held up their end of things, the Wild’s offense has certainly struggled over this stretch, averaging less than three goals a game without Zuccarello.

Even though Zuccarello is largely seen as a complimentary piece next to Kaprizov, he may be tasked with being the focal point of the offense moving forward over the next few games. Impressively, he still sits second on the team in scoring with six goals and 28 points in 28 games, continuing to maintain an elite ability to pass the puck in his age-36 season.

Minnesota still has a difficult path ahead toward a healthy roster, but the addition of Zuccarello back into the lineup should help the team to be more competitive. Luckily for the team, the wild card race in the Western Conference is still relatively tight, as the Wild currently sit five points back of the Seattle Kraken for the final spot, with two games in hand.

Injury Updates: Kakko, Zuccarello, Brodin, Foligno

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New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko joined the team’s skate this morning in a red no-contact jersey, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple. This is believed to be the first instance of Kakko at Rangers practice since the forward suffered a leg injury in November.

While Kakko is likely still a decent way off from a full-on return to the Rangers, this is undeniably encouraging news. The 22-year-old’s injury has left the Rangers thinner at their right wing position compared to just about any other position on their roster, and despite his slow start to the year, Kakko had a career year last season with 18 goals and 40 points.

Some other injury updates from across the NHL:

  • Minnesota Wild forward Mats Zuccarello continues to skate as he pursues a return to the ice, and The Athletic’s Joe Smith reports that Zuccarello could return before the Wild make their trip to Tampa to play the Lightning in the middle of January. Zuccarello has been out since December 16th and has 28 points in 28 games this season.
  • Smith also relayed an update on defenseman Jonas Brodin, who has been out since December 8th due to injury. A key defensive defenseman for Minnesota, Brodin skated for the first time since his injury and could be inching closer to a full return. He’s averaging just under 24 minutes of ice time per game this season, including three minutes short-handed.
  • Marcus Foligno was classified as a game-time decision for the Wild’s January 2nd contest due to a lingering undisclosed injury, but now The Athletic’s Michael Russo reports that he’s considered out on a day-to-day timeline. Foligno, 32, is a respected defensive forward and the Wild benefit when he’s on the ice rather than off it, especially considering his $3.1MM cap hit is even more meaningful due to the Wild’s existing cap constraints.

Evening Notes: Hartman, Blankenburg, Makar

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The Minnesota Wild have announced that forward Ryan Hartman will miss tonight’s game with an upper-body injury. Hartman’s injury is a microcosm of the kind of season it has been for the Wild this year. The 29-year-old spent roughly two weeks toiling on the Wild’s fourth line, only to get moved up in the lineup where he scored goals in back-to-back games before falling to this latest injury.

The Wild are dealing with injuries to key players at the moment as defensemen Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon are out, as is forward Mats Zuccarello. Despite the injury troubles, the Wild have been playing solid hockey under new head coach John Hynes as the team is 8-3 since he took over being the bench after a shaky 5-10-4 start to the season under former head coach Dean Evason.

In other evening notes:

  • Aaron Portzline of The Athletic is reporting that Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Nick Blankenburg isn’t playing tonight due to an upper-body injury. The Washington, Michigan native has dressed in six games this season for Columbus and has yet to register a point. He was recalled earlier this month after spending the first two months of the season with the Blue Jackets AHL affiliate and dressed in 36 games last season for Columbus, tallying four goals and ten assists.
  • The Colorado Avalanche have announced that defenseman Cale Makar will return to the lineup after missing the last three games with a lower-body injury. The former Norris Trophy winner was considered a game-time decision but after taking warmup with the team it appears the decision was made for the 25-year-old to play against the Ottawa Senators. Makar has eight goals and 29 assists this season in just 27 games and will give a much-needed boost to the Avalanche team that has lost seven of their last 11 games.

Minnesota Wild Move Mats Zuccarello To Injured Reserve

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The Minnesota Wild have placed their leading point scorer, Mats Zuccarello, on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. This will hold the 36-year-old winger out for at least one week, although the team’s recent designation of Zuccarello as ’week-to-week’ suggests that he might be out for longer. Zuccarello has 28 points in 28 games this season, including a team-leading 22 assists.

Zuccarello is continuing to excel offensively with Minnesota, after recording 67 points in 78 games last season and a career-high 79 points in 70 games in 2021-22. The Wild brought in Zuccarello ahead of the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline, dealing two conditional draft picks to Dallas that would ultimately turn into a 2019 second round pick and 2020 third round pick. Minnesota signed Zuccarello to a two-year, $8.5MM contract extension in September, carrying the winger through the 2025-26 season.

Minnesota is getting back on track under new head coach John Hynes, winning eight of the 11 games they’ve played under the new brass. This hot streak has been manned by Minnesota’s youth, with Brock Faber scoring six points, Marco Rossi scoring seven points, and Matt Boldy scoring 10 points since Hynes took over. This includes Boldy’s seven goals in his last 11 games, tied for the third-most in the league since November 28th.

Vinni Lettieri slotted into the lineup to fill in for Zuccarello on Tuesday night and looks to remain on the ice as the Wild don’t currently have any extra forwards on the roster. The team could also turn towards a minor league call-up, with Nic Petan, Jujhar Khaira, and Samuel Walker all having slotted into the NHL lineup at some point this season.

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