The Detroit Red Wings face off against the Minnesota Wild this evening at the Xcel Energy Center tonight (8 PM EST on FanDuel SportsNet Detroit/FanDuel SportsNet North/FanDuel SportsNet Wisconsin/97.1 FM), hoping to earn a series split after dropping last Saturday’s 4-3 OT decision to the Wild.
Even before the Wild took to the ice for their morning skate, they received bad news:
BAD #mnwild NEWS: Center Joel Eriksson Ek was injured in practice yesterday and has been placed on injured reserve. Must miss at least 7 days (next 4 games), but I hear he's going to be out a lot longer. Jakub Lauko will likely be activated off IR and replace him on roster
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) February 25, 2025
Russo reports that the Wild’s IR list includes Kirill Kaprizov as well, and that Ryan Hartman is suspended for the next 8 games, complicating the Wild’s playoff push:
The Wild have 25 games left this season. They currently sit in third place in the Central Division — four points behind the Dallas Stars and four points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche with two games in hand on the Avs. They are 10 points in front of ninth-place Calgary, which has played one fewer game than Minnesota.
The Wild’s social media team is trying to stir up shit…
So we meet again
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) February 25, 2025
⏰ 7:00 p.m.
📺 FanDuel Sports Network
📻 @KFAN1003
📍 Xcel Energy Center
🎟️ https://t.co/JnDa9opif4#mnwild x @AndersenWindows pic.twitter.com/jCj2JIDF6B
But their PR department also posts a really good set of game notes:
Here are notes for tonight’s #mnwild game against Detroit at 7:00 p.m. on @FanDuelSN_NOR on @KFAN1003: https://t.co/x1iTJKEsi4 pic.twitter.com/KywufBAms1
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) February 25, 2025
Prior to the Wild’s morning skate, they made their expected move…
The #mnwild has activated forward Jakub Lauko from Injured Reserve and placed forward Joel Eriksson Ek on Injured Reserve. Eriksson Ek is week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) February 25, 2025
And we get to enjoy the nebulous nature of hockey injury updates as a result:
Hynes said Eriksson Ek didn’t feel good after practice yesterday. Doesn’t know exactly what happened but he’ll be out at least a few weeks and go from there. Obviously a big blow as arguably their most irreplaceable player (as Wild found out vs Dallas few playoffs ago). #mnwild.
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) February 25, 2025
Jakub Lauko, who is back tonight, said he hopes he’s put his injuries behind him. Never had a year like this. The recent injury is “related” to groin injury from earlier in season. Probably needs closer examination this summer, he said. Excited to be back + help banged up #mnwild
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) February 25, 2025
Then this happened:
An update on Andrew Copp. pic.twitter.com/FZ5mZ2WlhP
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 25, 2025
Obviously, losing Copp is a significant blow to the Red Wings. He's not the offensive contributor he was signed to be, but he's an effective two-way center who wins draws and centers stronger offensive wingers.
— George Malik (@georgemalik) February 25, 2025
The Wings have a hole to fill now.
AAaaaanannnnd…
Stupid Stat of the Day: The Red Wings are winless in regulation all-time against teams from Minnesota in games played on a Tuesday in February.#LGRW #RedWingshttps://t.co/HBFKqEsOt7 pic.twitter.com/wfdeI1Dyfe
— DetroitHockey.Net (@detroithockey96) February 25, 2025
Anyway, the Wild’s correspondents don’t seem to be big on listing lines…
Looks like Declan Chisholm draws back in tonight. #mnwild
— Dylan Loucks (@DylanLoucks4) February 25, 2025
And instead…
Marcus Foligno reacts to todays news on Joel Eriksson Ek, recaps a win over @DetroitRedWings and previews the rematch: https://t.co/AvBkx5ITAY@mnwild pregame coverage starts at 6:45 p.m. tonight @KFAN1003:https://t.co/Aqvb3DsLlc pic.twitter.com/HTeBOZowtk
— Kevin Falness (@RadioFalness) February 25, 2025
Nothing better than a gameday at home 🏡#mnwild x @Pentair pic.twitter.com/bASTkARyx6
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) February 25, 2025
We do know that Filip Gustavsson is starting tonight in goal for Minnesota…
And, per the Free Press’s Helene St. James, we know that Cam Talbot’s starting against one of his previous employers:
Christian Fischer subs into lineup for Red Wings vs. Wild tonight.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) February 25, 2025
Cam Talbot starting.
