The good news for the Minnesota Wild is that forward Matt Boldy registered a hat trick as part of Thursday’s contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Scotiabank Arena, while defenseman Quinn Hughes recorded his third-career point streak of 10+ games, joining rare NHL company.
The bad news is that the Wild, who have already played the entire season without defenseman Brock Faber, lost one of their most important forwards during the contest.
Following a collision with Jake McCabe, forward Joel Eriksson Ek departed and has not returned.
Minnesota Wild Forward Joel Eriksson Ek Departs Clash Against Leafs With Injury
During the second period of play, Eriksson Ek collided in the neutral zone with Toronto’s Jake McCabe and fell to the ice awkwardly. He also needed assistance making his way off the ice and down the tunnel toward the locker room.
So far, there has been no official update from the Wild about his condition, but the fact that he did not return to the third period has fans naturally concerned.
Last season during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Eriksson Ek suffered a broken hand in the deciding game against the rival Dallas Stars and missed the entire second round against the rival Colorado Avalanche.
He’s played in 20 games so far this season, and has six goals with 11 assists for 17 points along with an impressive plus-15 rating.
Eriksson Ek Is A Seasoned Wild Veteran
Eriksson Ek made his NHL debut with the Wild, who took him in the first round (20th overall pick) in the 2016 NHL Draft, and scored in his first game. After bouncing between the Wild, the American Hockey League, and Sweden early in his career, he established himself as a regular NHL center. He broke out in 2020-21 after moving into a top-line role, scoring 19 goals before signing an eight-year, $42 million extension.
He continued to improve, reaching 26 goals and 49 points in 2021-22 while becoming known as a strong two-way player and earning recognition as one of the NHL’s better defensive forwards. He reached 100 career goals in November 2023 after overcoming a fractured fibula that ended his 2022-23 season.
He registered a career-high 30 goals in 2023-24, and followed that up with campaigns of 14 goals and 19 goals over the next two seasons; he was limited to just 46 games in 2024-25.
Wild Get Brutal Injury News During Maple Leafs Clash