Johansson has gotten off to a hot start in the first two games of the season with two points but will be a game-time decision again on Tuesday in St. Louis. The 34-year-old was a game-time decision on Sunday but ended up playing 14:57 time-on-ice.
Gustavsson has been strong for Minnesota, starting two of three games to start the season, and will return to the crease on Tuesday against the St. Louis Blues. The 26-year-old Gustavsson has saved 64 of 68 shots (.941 SV%) through two games (1-0-1), an early indication that he may be returning to form after a forgettable 2023-24 campaign when he posted a 3.06 GAA and .899 SV% in 45 outings (20-18-4). Minnesota enters the action as slight -111 road favorites against St. Louis.
After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon will unfortunately miss his second straight game of the 2024-25 campaign due to a lower-body injury suffered on Saturday. The 34-year-old was replaced by Declan Chisholm (illness) on Sunday.
Originally expected to return on Tuesday, Eriksson Ek will remain out of the lineup for at least one more game. Eriksson Ek did not travel with Minnesota for the start of their seven-game road trip after he took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room in Saturday's game. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return.
Gustavsson won his first start of the season vs. Columbus after stopping 31 of 33 shots against (.939 SV%) and will have a chance to go 2-0-0 on Sunday in Winnipeg. The 26-year-old is in his third season with the Wild and will be splitting time with both Marc-Andre Fleury and Jesper Wallstedt this season. He will head to Winnipeg to take on the undefeated Jets (2-0-0), who beat Chicago 2-1 on home ice on Friday.
With Joel Eriksson Ek (broken nose) not travelling on Sunday, Liam Ohgren will make his season debut vs. Winnipeg. The 20-year-old left-winger made his NHL debut last season but only appeared in four games, picking up a goal and an assist while averaging 14:31 TOI/GP.
Johansson has gotten off to a hot start in the first two games of the season with two points but will be a game-time decision on Sunday in Winnipeg. If the 34-year-old is unable to go, Travis Boyd is expected to step into the lineup.
After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon will unfortunately miss game three of the season with a lower-body injury on Sunday. The 34-year-old will be replaced by Declan Chisholm (illness) in the lineup. Minnesota is expected to provide further updates on the injury later.
With Minnesota in need of depth on Sunday after a string of injuries, Jesper Wallstedt has be reassigned to Iowa (AHL). The 21-year-old has yet to make his season debut but is expected to return to the Wild early next to do so.
Eriksson Ek did not travel with Minnesota for the start of their seven-game road trip after he took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room in Saturday's game. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return. Minnesota is expected to provide further updates on their star centre in the upcoming days.
Eriksson Ek took an elbow to the face from Adam Larsson in the second period and went to the locker room. He missed the final 12:45 of the period before returning to the game in the third period with a full face shield. He only played one shift, though, and left the game again and did not return. Eriksson Ek reportedly didn't travel to Winnipeg for Sunday's game, the start of a lengthy seven-game road trip for the Wild.
Wallstedt was sent down to the Iowa Wild (AHL) on Thursday for salary cap implications but is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).
Wallstedt is expected to fight for playing time in Minnesota this season but has been sent down to Iowa (AHL) for salary cap reasons ahead of their season opener on Thursday night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Wallstedt was the 20th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft and spent most of the 2023-24 campaign in Iowa (AHL), posting a solid 2.70 GAA and .910 SV% in 45 games (22-19-4).
There is some uncertainty in Minnesota's crease this season with veteran Marc-Andre Fleury and rookie Jesper Wallstedt in the mix, but the club will turn to Gustavsson for their season opener on Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. The 26-year-old Gustavsson showcased a winning pedigree in the 2022-23 season when he posted a remarkable 2.10 GAA and .931 SV% in 39 appearances (22-9-7), before posting a forgetful 3.06 GAA and .899 SV% in 45 2023-24 appearances (20-18-4). If Gustavsson is unable to revert to the talent he displayed two years ago, there will be two eager netminders waiting on deck to steal starts.
Middleton didn't play in Minnesota's preseason finale due to injury, but he has been practicing and appears on track to be ready for the season opener. Middleton had career-high highs in goals (7), assists (18), points (25), blocked shots (161), and hits (148) in 80 games last season. He will line up on the second defensive pair alongside Jared Spurgeon.
Boldy didn't play in Minnesota's preseason finale due to a lower-body injury, but he has been practicing and appears on track to be ready for the season opener. Boldy, who had 29 goals and 40 assists last season, is expected to open the season on a line with Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Johansson.
Aube-Kubel played only 5:45 time-on-ice before exiting Friday's season-opening 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Sabres in the offseason after a 2023-24 campaign with the Washington Capitals where he scored 16 points (6G / 10A) in 60 games.
Aube-Kubel played only 5:45 time-on-ice before exiting Friday's season-opening 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils with a lower-body injury. The 28-year-old signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Sabres in the offseason after a 2023-24 campaign with the Washington Capitals where he scored 16 points (6G / 10A) in 60 games.
