The Minnesota Wild have gotten off to a solid start this season, winning their opener against the Columbus Blue Jackets before a shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken. Now, they are heading on a seven-game road trip, starting with a visit to the Winnipeg Jets. The Wild will be heading into the matchup a few ticks below 100 percent though. Star center Joel Eriksson Ek will miss the game against the Jets due to an upper body injury he sustained and will miss the tilt according to NHL insider Elliotte Friedman on X, formerly Twitter.
“Joel Eriksson Ek– injured tonight vs Seattle– did not make trip to Winnipeg for tomorrow's game,” posted Friedman on the social media site after the Wild's shootout defeat. “Hopeful noting too serious… he's an important player for Minnesota.”
Eriksson Ek is certainly an important player for the Wild, as he's one of the starting centers and coming off the best season of his career so far. He's a major source of offense for coach John Hynes' unit, and the specifics of his injury are not fully known yet. Hopefully, he won't be out too long and can return at some point during this stint away from Xcel Energy Center. Continuing their strong start will be key to their playoff hopes, so the less time missed by Eriksson Ek, the better.
Will Joel Eriksson Ek miss more time for the Wild?
On their road trip, the Wild will face multiple perennial postseason participants, including the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning. They will also play the defending Stanley Cup champions in the Florida Panthers. It won't be an easy slate of games, so being at full strength will make things easier. Unfortunately, Eriksson Ek's injury ensures they won't be for now. Until more is known about the upper body affliction he is dealing with, his return date will be pending.
Defenseman Declan Chisholm is also day to day with an injury he sustained, but he is with the team on the road. Eriksson Ek could have been hurt after an elbow to the face, as he went to the locker room shortly afterward. A Wild fan on X posted a video of the hit on the social media platform.
The hit likely should have warranted a penalty call, but it did not. Upper body injury is definitely apparent based on that evidence, and hopefully it doesn't keep him out too long. If it does, then Minnesota will have to adjust in order to keep their positive start going. In the hunt for a Stanley Cup Playoff spot, how successful that adjustment is will be pivotal.