Wild Missing Two Key Players For Opening Games
PUBLISHED May 3, 2026, 4:41 PM ET
Read, Watch or Listen
Denver — The Minnesota Wild will be without center Joel Eriksson Ek and defenseman Jonas Brodin for the first two games of their second-round series at Ball Arena after both were held out with lower-body injuries. Neither player made the trip to Denver ahead of Game 1 on Sunday, and coach John Hynes said he had not finalized the lineup. Denver also listed Colorado defenseman Josh Manson as unavailable after he suffered an upper-body injury in the series-clinching game against the Los Angeles Kings, and coach Jared Bednar said Nick Blankenburg would slide into Manson’s spot. The teams play Game 2 on Tuesday and return to St. Paul for Game 3 on Saturday night, giving a limited recovery window for injured players.
By Sarah Whitman | JQJO News
Timeline of Events
- Wild defeated the Dallas Stars in a six-game first-round series, advancing to Round 2.
- Colorado clinched its prior series; Josh Manson sustained an upper-body injury in the clincher.
- Colorado previously acquired Nick Blankenburg on March 4 and selected him to replace Manson.
- Minnesota announced Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin would not travel to Denver for Games 1 and 2.
- Game 1 took place Sunday in Denver, Game 2 followed Tuesday, and Game 3 is scheduled Saturday night in St. Paul.
News Intelligence
- The Wild's lineup changes could affect their performance in the upcoming games. If you're a fan, it's worth keeping an eye on how the team adapts. For those who enjoy sports betting, these injuries might influence your decisions.
- Articles Published:
- 4
- Right Leaning:
- 0
- Left Leaning:
- 1
- Neutral:
- 3
- Distribution:
- Left 25%, Center 75%, Right 0%
The Colorado Avalanche benefited from having a planned replacement (Nick Blankenburg) and home-ice advantage while Minnesota managed injuries and travel constraints.
The Minnesota Wild suffered reduced roster depth and lineup disruption when Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin did not travel for Games 1 and 2 due to lower-body injuries.
Coverage of Story:
From Left
Wild get harsh lesson in Game 1 vs. Avalanche: This isn't the Stars anymore
The New York TimesFrom Center
Wild Missing Two Key Players For Opening Games
Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer News 4 Jax Twin CitiesFrom Right
No right-leaning sources found for this story.
Comments