The Minnesota Wild faced one of the toughest tests of the season on Thursday evening, Nov.14. They were already down Jonas Brodin but then went on to lose both Mats Zuccarello and Joel Eriksson Ek to injury in the first period against the Montréal Canadiens. They managed to put their game together enough to win over the struggling Canadiens, but their next game will be against the Dallas Stars, which will prove much tougher.
The news on Friday, Nov. 15, following the game was that both Brodin and Eriksson Ek remain day-to-day and could return against the Stars, but Zuccarello is out for 3-4 weeks after having surgery after he left the game. In this article, we’ll look at what kind of impact being without these players could have and what the team will have to do to get through.
Eriksson Ek & Brodin Consistent Presence
If the Wild have to be without Eriksson Ek and Brodin, it will be very difficult for both the offense and defense. They started decently without Brodin because they were prepared for his absence. They struggled in certain areas because he’s a key player, but they made due and got through.
When Eriksson Ek and Zuccarello went down, their forwards had a bit tougher time. They had to adjust without the extra firepower and the extra legs. The entire lineup saw more ice time, and it was more evenly spread out rather than one line getting the most. Everything had to be adjusted, with Eriksson Ek and Zuccarello filling spots on the top two lines.
If Brodin and Eriksson Ek have to miss the game against the Stars, the Wild must be ready to be without two of their most defensive players. Brodin’s defensive skills are some of the best on the team, and he’s also key to their penalty kill. The same can be said about Eriksson Ek, and he’s their best two-way forward.
The biggest key to Brodin and Eriksson Ek’s game is their consistency. They are consistently dependable, and the rest of the team can rely on them to be in the right place at the right time. Hopefully, they’ll be back in the lineup sooner rather than later.
Zuccarello’s Scoring Will be Missed
Zuccarello’s injury recovery path is clearer than those of his day-to-day teammates. He will be out for 3-4 weeks, and the Wild will miss his presence. He’s been on the top line alongside Kirill Kaprizov, and they’ve been recording points ever since. He’d played in every game up to the point of his injury and tallied 14 points in those 16 games.
Obviously, Kaprizov will be the most affected as they’re the team’s best pair. However, he learned to adapt when the lines were changed, and he’ll have to do so again. He’s had great chemistry with Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi. Hopefully, he’ll be able to find that chemistry again, as they’ll likely be the new top line.
However, Marcus Johansson showed some promise with Kaprizov right after Eriksson Ek and Zuccarello went down. The team will have to do some line juggling to make things fit but if the team wants to keep winning games, it will need more scoring from Kaprizov and its depth players.
Wild Need Players to Step Up
With the potential of having three of their best players out, the Wild need more out of every player remaining on the roster. From the goaltenders to Kaprizov, they’ll need each player to find a way to reach another level. To fill the gap that Zuccarello will be leaving, the Wild have a couple of options for who could temporarily fill his role.
Michael Milne or Liam Öhgren will get a shot to show what they can do. It’s even possible they both could if Eriksson Ek has to remain out. This is when players ready to be in the NHL step up and show what they’ve got, and the Wild need that now as they have to face the Stars.
Related: 4 Takeaways From the Minnesota Wild’s First 15 Games
After being sent down earlier this season, Öhgren has been waiting for a moment like this to show more of what he’s got. He played decently but didn’t do enough to earn a full-time spot, which could be his chance. Hopefully, whoever fills Zuccarello’s role will positively impact the lineup.
Wild Have to Find a Way Around
If the Wild want to make it to the postseason, they must overcome this adversity. Every team experiences at least one injury bug, if not more, and the teams that make it to the playoffs overcome those injuries with wins. Hopefully, the Wild can do the same and keep gaining points with or without these key players.
