Minnesota Wild News

Jiricek played the last two games but will continue to rotate with Jordan Harris in Saturday's game in Nashville. Jiriceck has on assists in two games this season.

Minnesota will turn to Fleury between the pipes for the second time in the last three games in what may be the veteran netminder's final game in Pittsburgh against the Penguins, the team that drafted him. Fleury struggled in his first game of the season, allowing four goals on 34 shots in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Seattle Kraken, and did not get another chance to play for nearly two weeks but was stellar in that performance, saving 24 of 26 shots (.923 SV%) in a 4-2 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. Minnesota enters the action on Tuesday as -118 road favorites against a Pittsburgh club riding a five-game losing skid.

Gustavsson stopped 24 of 25 shots in the Wild's win in Florida on Tuesday. Gustavsson has won won three in a row while giving up just three goals on 77 shots (.961 SV%). This afternoon he'll get the start in Philadelphia, where the Wild are -125 road favourites.

Novak was a fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 22-year-old made his North American professional hockey debut last season, splitting time between the Iowa Heartlanders (ECHL) and the Iowa Wild (AHL).

Hartman has missed the last three games and will miss at least two more due to an upper-body injury. The 30-year-old Hartman was off to a strong start to the season before his injury, with two goals in his first four games.

Spurgeon will remain out of the lineup on Thursday but could return to action in one of the final three games of their seven-game road trip. After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon has missed three straight games in the 2024-25 campaign due to a lower-body injury.

Minnesota, one of four teams without a regulation loss (4-0-2), will turn to Fleury between the pipes for the first time since their second game of the season on October 12th. Fleury was serviceable in his only performance of the season, allowing four goals on 34 shots (.882 SV%), ultimately falling in a shootout to the Seattle Kraken. Despite their early-season success, Minnesota is a +131 road underdog on Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, coming off an 8-5 victory over the New Jersey Devils.

Max Jones will draw back into the Bruins' lineup on Tuesday, resulting in Brazeau being a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old Brazeau has averaged 11:44 time-on-ice through five games this season, tallying one point (0G / 1A) and a -3 plus/minus rating.

After missing 66 games in 2023-24 due to injury, Jared Spurgeon has missed three straight games in the 2024-25 campaign due to a lower-body injury. The 34-year-old Spurgeon was replaced by Declan Chisholm since he exited the lineup on October 12th.

Hartman will miss a second straight game on Tuesday when Minnesota visits the Florida Panthers. Hartman was off to a strong start to the season with two goals in his first four games.

For the fourth straight game, Minnesota will turn to Gustavsson between the pipes on Tuesday against the Florida Panthers. After a forgetful 2023-24 season, posting a pedestrian 3.06 GAA and .899 SV%, Gustavsson has been tremendous, starting the 2024-25 campaign with an outstanding 1.49 GAA and .950 SV% in four outings (3-0-1). That said, Minnesota will be hard-pressed for success against a Panthers club that has points in four straight (3-0-1) and will welcome Matthew Tkachuk (illness) back into the lineup.

Jiricek had 10 points (1G / 9A) in 43 games with the Blue Jackets last season. The talented 20-year-old offensive Czech defenseman had an impressive playoff run with the Cleveland Monsters (AHL) last season, scoring 11 points (3G / 8A) in 14 games, and is trying to become a full-time NHLer this season.

Hartman showed no signs of an ailment in his last contest when he scored a goal in a 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Blues on Monday. He has two points (2G / 0A) in four games this season and will be a game-time decision on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Originally expected to return on Tuesday, Eriksson Ek is likely to make his return on Saturday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. 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 last 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, left the game again and did not return.

Justin Brazeau and Morgan Geekie will serve as healthy scratches on Wednesday, allowing Max Jones and Riley Tufte to draw back into the Bruins' lineup. The 26-year-old Brazeau has one point (0G / 1A), a -3 plus/minus, and two shots on goal through four games this season.

Johansson has gotten off to a hot start in the first two games of the season with two points but will not play 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.

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.