Head coach John Hynes said Friday that Eriksson Ek (lower body) has been skating with the team and is waiting to see how he responds, Jessi Pierce of NHL.com reports.
Eriksson Ek has been out of the lineup since Dec. 3. He will miss his eighth consecutive game Friday against Utah, but he could be getting close to a return to action. Eriksson Ek has five goals and eight assists over 22 appearances this season after a huge 2023-24 campaign in which he had 30 goals and 34 assists across 77 regular-season games.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Placed on injured reserve
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) was placed on injured reserve Friday.
Eriksson Ek was already regarded as week-to-week, so this move doesn't alter his timetable. The 27-year-old, who exited Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win over Vancouver because of the injury, has five goals and 13 points in 22 appearances in 2024-25. Reese Johnson was summoned Wednesday from AHL Iowa and is likely to make his NHL season debut Friday versus Anaheim.
Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) is considered week-to-week, the Wild announced Wednesday.
Eriksson Ek was already ruled out for Friday's game against Anaheim, and it seems he'll end up missing more time than that. He has five goals and 13 points in 22 outings in 2024-25. Unless Jakub Lauko (lower body) is ready in time to face the Ducks, Minnesota will need to either recall a forward from the minors or dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Won't play Friday
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Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Friday's game against Anaheim, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
While general manager Bill Guerin ruled Eriksson Ek out for Friday's matchup due to his undisclosed injury that he sustained Tuesday against the Canucks, Guerin isn't worried that the 27-year-old center is facing a long-term absence. While it's not yet clear whether Eriksson Ek will be available for Saturday's game against the Kings, he should be considered day-to-day for now.
Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) appeared to aggravate an injury when he exited Tuesday's game versus the Canucks during overtime, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
There was no update on Eriksson Ek's status following the contest. That leaves him questionable ahead of a three-game road trip for the Wild. They play a back-to-back Friday and Saturday against the Ducks and Kings, respectively, before concluding the trip in Utah on Tuesday.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Two helpers in Friday's win
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Eriksson Ek picked up two assists while adding three shots on net, three hits, 15 faceoff wins and a plus-2 rating in Friday's 3-2 win over Chicago.
It's the first multi-point performance in more than a month for the 27-year-old center, and his helpers came on a couple of somewhat fluky goals by Jared Spurgeon in the second period. Eriksson Ek hasn't found the back of the net himself in 12 games, and on the season he's produced a somewhat disappointing five goals and 12 points in 20 contests -- well off his scoring pace from the prior two campaigns.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Sets up lone goal in win
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Eriksson Ek provided an assist, four shots on goal and two blocked shots in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Sabres.
Eriksson Ek has had a rough November, logging just a goal and three helpers over 12 appearances. The 27-year-old center has maintained top-six minutes, and he's been on the top line between Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy in recent games in an effort to spark his offense. Eriksson Ek has 10 points, 48 shots on net, 30 hits and a plus-6 rating across 19 outings overall.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Gathers assist Saturday
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Eriksson Ek registered an assist and two shots on goal in Saturday's 4-3 shootout loss to the Flames.
Eriksson Ek set up Marco Rossi's game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation. This was Eriksson Ek's first point in three games since he returned from missing one contest due to a lower-body injury. The 27-year-old is a top-six and power-play fixture for the Wild and is up to five goals, four assists, 41 shots on net, 26 hits and a plus-7 rating over 17 appearances this season.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Returning to lineup
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) will be available for Tuesday's road matchup versus the Blues, per Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Eriksson Ek will resume his role on the top line and No. 1 power-play unit after a brief one-game absence. The left-shot center has provided five goals, three assists and a plus-5 rating over 14 games.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: On track for Tuesday
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) is expected back in the lineup Tuesday against the Blues but is still awaiting final medical clearance, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
Eriksson Ek retook his first-line role at practice Monday in addition to linking up with the No. 1 power-play unit. If the 27-year-old center does play, he will be looking to end a six-game goal drought during which he managed just one helper. The return of Eriksson Ek will help to bolster a forward group that will be without Mats Zuccarello (lower body) for 3-4 weeks.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Out of action Saturday
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) will not play Saturday versus Dallas, Sarah McLellan of the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Eriksson Ek left Thursday's game with the injury. The good news is that he is expected to rejoin practice Monday. Eriksson Ek has only one assist in his last six games after starting the season with five goals and two helpers in eight contests.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Considered day-to-day
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) is considered day-to-day ahead of Saturday's game against the Stars, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
Eriksson Ek exited Thursday's game against the Canadiens due to a lower-body injury, and it's not yet clear whether he'll be available for Saturday's home matchup. However, it doesn't appear as though he's in line to miss significant time, and the Wild will likely monitor him in the hours leading up to Saturday's puck drop before determining his status.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Sustains lower-body injury
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Eriksson Ek (lower body) won't return to Thursday's game versus the Canadiens.
The first period of the contest was costly for the Wild, as both Eriksson Ek and Mats Zuccarello (lower body) left the game. Consider Eriksson Ek day-to-day until the Wild provide another update. Their next game is Saturday versus the Stars.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Sets up opening tally
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Eriksson Ek logged an assist and four shots on goal in Friday's 5-2 win over the Ducks.
Eriksson Ek snapped a three-game slump with his helper on Jacob Middleton's goal in the first period. Through 12 appearances, Eriksson Ek has played a bit more of a supporting role with five goals, three assists, 30 shots on net, 21 hits and a plus-6 rating. He's playing on the second line and first power-play unit, and based on the past two campaigns, he should operate around a 60-to-65-point pace while adding plenty of shots and hits.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Scores in Friday's win
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Eriksson Ek scored a goal and went plus-2 in Friday's 5-3 win over the Lightning.
Eriksson Ek has four goals and two assists over his last five games. The center's second-period tally Friday tied the game at 1-1. He's produced a total of five goals, two assists, 20 shots on net, 17 hits and a plus-5 rating over eight appearances this season. Eriksson Ek offers 30-goal potential as well as plenty of shots and hits while consistently featuring in a top-six role and on the first power-play unit.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Three-game goal spree
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Eriksson Ek netted a power-play goal and added an assist in a 7-5 loss to the Flyers on Saturday.
Eriksson Ek has lit the lamp in three straight games while providing two helpers during that span. He has accounted for four goals and six points through six appearances this campaign while occupying a top-six role and seeing time on the first power-play unit.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Puts away goal Thursday
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Eriksson Ek scored a goal on three shots and added two hits in Thursday's 4-2 win over the Lightning.
Eriksson Ek has scored in back-to-back games, and he's up to three tallies and one assist over five appearances this season. The 27-year-old center has added 13 shots on net, 15 hits and a plus-4 rating. With the Wild off to a surprising 5-0-2 start, Eriksson Ek's steady top-six role carries a little more value that usual. He's a strong source of offense in all situations while adding strong volume in shots and hits, and he'll usually chip in some PIM as well, though he's yet to take a trip to the sin bin this season.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Two points against Florida
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Eriksson Ek picked up an even-strength goal and a power-play assist in Tuesday's 5-1 win over the Panthers.
Both points came in the second period as the Wild put the game away. It was Eriksson Ek's first multi-point performance of the season, and the 27-year-old center seems fully recovered from the broken nose that cost him two games.
