WINNIPEG – We’re two games into this season and there’s already an ominous feeling surrounding the Wild.
With the Wild facing their first big test of the season against the rival Winnipeg Jets, they’ll drop the puck Sunday night without captain Jared Spurgeon and their best center, Joel Eriksson Ek. Neither player traveled to Winnipeg for the first game of a seven-game road trip.
As of right now, the Wild are saying both are day-to-day. In fact, coach John Hynes said he expects Eriksson Ek to meet the Wild in St. Louis on Monday or Tuesday morning for Tuesday night’s game against the Blues. He caught an elbow from Seattle Kraken defenseman Adam Larsson on the nose in the second period of Saturday night’s shootout loss.
He missed more than half of the second period, returned for the third wearing a full bubble shield, played one shift and left for good.
Spurgeon on the other hand is said to have a lower-body injury but played 19 1/2 minutes against the Kraken, including two shifts in overtime. Last season, Spurgeon only played 16 games due to shoulder, hip and back injuries. He ultimately underwent season-ending hip surgery followed by back surgery a month later.
Spurgeon said he played last season in agony at times and would often have to untie his skates on the bench between shifts in order to attempt to alleviate numbness in his foot.
It’s unknown if the current malady has anything to do with last year’s issues.
“Spurgy’s getting re-evaluated today,” coach John Hynes said before Sunday’s game. “I would say right now Ek is expected against St. Louis. Spurgy I gotta find out more.
“We gotta make sure we have the guys that are going to be in some different roles, have to step up and play well. So, that’s what we’re looking to do.”
Left wing Marcus Johansson also sustained a leg injury during Saturday’s game. He is on the trip and is expected to warm up. If he can’t play, the Wild recalled Travis Boyd from AHL Iowa and he’d take Johansson’s spot in the lineup.
Rookie Liam Öhgren will make his season debut in place of Eriksson Ek. If Johansson can’t play, Öhgren will play left wing on a line with Ryan Hartman and Matt Boldy. If Johansson plays, Öhgren will play on the fourth line with Freddy Gaudreau and Jakub Lauko.
Regardless, Hartman will play second-line center and Marat Khusnutdinov will play third-line center.
Former Jets defenseman Declan Chisholm will make his season debut for Spurgeon.
This is obviously a tough way to play the Jets, who have a five-game winning streak against the Wild.
“We feel we’ve gotten stronger in our depth,” Hynes said. “It’s never a great time. But we gotta manage it the right way and we gotta find a way to get a gritty road win here tonight.”
(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)
