Minnesota Wild News

Jiricek had one assist in his season debut in Iowa, and returns to the NHL following an injury to Zach Bogosian on Friday. Jiricek could draw into the lineup on Saturday.

Bogosian left after playing 12:08 and did not return. The Wild recalled David Jiricek from Iowa (AHL), suggesting that Bogosian will not be available on Saturday.

Olausson was the 28th-overall pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old forward has been limited to only four career NHL games. He scored 26 points (11G / 15A) in 61 games with the Colorado Eagles (AHL) last season.

Minnesota has had an inconsistent 2-2-0 start to the 2025-26 season and hopes to own a winning record after Gustavsson tends the twine on Friday against the Washington Capitals. The 26-year-old Gustavsson had a dazzling 26-save shutout in his season-opening performance, but has gone on to allow nine goals on 54 shots (.833 SV%) in his next two contests (0-2-0). The Wild enter Friday's contest as +110 road underdogs against a Capitals team that is 3-1-0 to start the season despite scoring only nine total goals, the lowest in the entire Eastern Conference.

Jiricek was traded from Columbus last season due to growing frustration with a lack of NHL play, a commonality early in his tenure with the Minnesota Wild. The talented 21-year-old defenseman has been limited to only six games with Minnesota since being acquired in January last season, tallying two points (1G / 1A) in the process.

The Wild will turn back to Gustavsson between the pipes tonight after Jesper Wallstedt got the nod against the Kings on Monday. After posting a shutout in his season debut, Gustavsson struggled in his last outing, stopping just 25 of the 31 shots he faced in a 7-4 loss to the Blue Jackets on Saturday. He will have his hands full again on Tuesday as the Wild enter action at +175 on the money line.

Ben Jones started his 2025-26 campaign in the AHL, scoring two points (0G / 2A) in two games with the Iowa Wild, and has now been recalled by Minnesota. Minnesota has assigned Hunter Haight to Iowa in a corresponding move. The 26-year-old Jones played a career-high 26 games with Minnesota last season and scored zero points.

Haight was a healthy scratch on Monday after debuting in his first two NHL games, averaging 9:22 time-on-ice, and has not been sent down to the Iowa Wild (AHL). In a corresponding move, Minnesota has recalled Ben Jones.

Two games into his NHL career, Haight will have a seat in the press box as a healthy scratch. The 21-year-old Haight averaged 9:22 time-on-ice and has a -2 plus/minus through two games. Danila Yurov will make his NHL debut on Monday, drawing in as Haight's replacement.

With Hunter Haight serving as a healthy scratch on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings, Yurov will draw into the lineup for his NHL debut. The 21-year-old Yurov was Minnesota's 24th-overall pick in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The talented young forward scored 25 points (13G / 12A) in the KHL last season, playing 46 games with Magnitogorsk Metallurg.

With the offseason retirement of Marc-Andre Fleury, Wallstedt has emerged as Minnesota's undisputed backup goalie behind Filip Gustavsson. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, and he will make his season debut on Monday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 22-year-old Wallstedt has five NHL games under his belt (2-3-0), posting a 3.44 GAA and .877 SV%. Minnesota enters Monday's contest as -104 home underdogs against a 1-2-0 Los Angeles team.

Gustavsson will unsurprisingly get the nod between the pipes when the Wild open up their season in St. Louis on Thursday. The 27-year-old netminder was a stabilizing force for the Wild last season, compiling a 31-19-6 record to go along with an impressive .914 SV% and 2.56 GAA. Gustavsson and the Wild open up the season at near even odds at +105 against the Blues.

The start to Sturm's tenure in Minnesota has been delayed due to injury, and now with surgery is expected to miss at least six weeks. After winning a cup with Florida in 2024-25, Sturm signed a two-year, $4 million contract with Minnesota in the offseason. He is coming off a seven-goal, 14-point campaign across 62 games with both San Jose and Florida in 2024-25.

Brodin, who had offseason surgery on an upper-body injury, will not play in the Wild's season opener on Thursday. There was hope that he'd be ready, but he's "stagnated a little bit," according to head coach John Hynes. With Brodin unavailable, David Jiriceck is expected to be in the opening night lineup.

Haight was the 47th overall pick of Minnesota in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old forward has yet to play an NHL game. He scored 34 points (20G / 14A) in 67 AHL games with the Iowa Wild last season.

Zuccarello will likely not be an option for Minnesota until late November, as he is recovering from a lower-body injury. The 38-year-old Zuccarello has remained productive for Minnesota, playing primarily alongside Kirill Kaprizov, including scoring 54 points (19G / 35A) in 69 games last season. Zuccarello's absence creates an opening in Minnesota's top six, which the team hopes can be filled by Vladimir Tarasenko, who is currently occupying a spot in the top six and on the top powerplay unit.

The start to Sturm's tenure in Minnesota has been delayed due to injury, as he will be sidelined for at least one week after being placed on Injured Reserve and is now expected to miss "a significant amount of time," according to Minnesota's Head Coach. After winning a cup with Florida in 2024-25, Sturm signed a two-year, $4 million contract with Minnesota in the offseason. He is coming off a seven-goal, 14-point campaign across 62 games with both San Jose and Florida in 2024-25.

Brodin, who had offseason surgery on an upper-body injury, is questionable for the Wild's season opener on Thursday. There was hope that he'd be ready, but he's "stagnated a little bit," according to head coach John Hynes. If Brodin is unavailable, David Jiriceck is expected to be in the opening night lineup.