With the Minnesota Wild set to host the San Jose Sharks on Thursday, they will get some reinforcements in the form of forward Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin, and head coach John Hynes spoke specifically about the importance of Brodin's return.
“I think when you look at the guts of [Brodin's] game, he's a valuable as any defenseman to any team,” John Hynes said, via NHL.com. “I mean, he's a great skater, a very good defender, moves the puck well, can contribute offensively. And to me, that's probably been the most impressive. He doesn't seem like the biggest guy and things like that, but when you see his ability to play against top players in the (Connor) McDavids, you know, guys like ‘Brods' is as good as I've seen, as good as I've had the opportunity to coach.”
Eriksson Ek is key for the Wild offense as well. He has put up 29 goals and 31 assists for 60 points this season in 66 games. He was out for the past five games for the Wild with a lower-body injury. He hopes to help the Wild snap their two-game losing streak against the Sharks.
Brodin has been out for the last two games with a lower-body injury, and you can see the immediate impact his absence made. Against the Anaheim Ducks, Brodin's last game, the Wild came away with a 4-0 win. The Wild gave up a lot of goals in the two games Brodin missed against the Los Angeles Kings and St. Louis Blues. Minnesota suffered a 6-0 loss to the Kings on the road, then lost to the Blues 5-4 in overtime at home.
From an offensive standpoint, Brodin has put up seven goals and 14 assists for 21 games in 51 games this year. The Wild will need all of the help they can get down the stretch form Eriksson Ek and Brodin to make the playoffs in the Western Conference.
Wild's slim playoff odds
As things currently stand, the Wild have 77 points and sit nine points back of the Vegas Golden Knights, who hold the last wild card spot in the Western Conference. The Blues are also three points in front of Minnesota. With 11 games left in the regular season, it is a longshot for the Wild to make it into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. They will need to win every game possible.
Minnesota will play the Sharks, Golden Knights, Ottawa Senators, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Chicago Blackhakws, Avalanche, Golden Knights, Sharks, Kings and Seattle Kraken in their final 11 games of the season.
The good news for the Wild is that they have two games against the Golden Knights, the team they are trying to pass, and there are many games against weak opponents down the stretch.
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