The puck Joel Eriksson Ek took off the chin Saturday in Philadelphia required some stitching. But he returned to the game and could play tonight in Ottawa, too.
Eriksson Ek a likely scratch tonight
Wild will sit Eriksson Ek while deciding on his immediate future
November 13, 2016 at 8:39PM
![The Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek pestered Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ryan Stanton (18) in the corner in the second period Tuesday night. ] JEFF WHEELER ï jeff.wheeler@startribune.com The Minnesota Wild played their first preseason game of the year against the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday night, September 27, 2016 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/OBO3F4SIRWD5UKRZO4VURYNPTI.jpg?&w=712)
But he probably won't.
Eriksson Ek has played nine games. Playing in a tenth would mean the first year of his three-year deal would kick in. With Zach Parise close to his return, the Wild could decide to return Eriksson Ek – whose ice time has been limited – to his team in Sweden or to the Wild's minor league club in Iowa.
"He's good to go," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said while talking to the game before tonight's Wild-Senators game in Ottawa. "But I don't know if he's going to play, though. It's his 10th game. We haven't made our mind up on that yet.''
Scratching Ek would give the team more time to decide. "I'm hoping before the week is out,'' Bourdreau said when asked when a final decision would be made. "If he doesn't play tonight it gives us another 24 hours to think about what we want to do. He's done really well. But again, in the long term, it's what's best for him that we're thinking of.''
One other pre-game note: Darcy Kuemper will be in goal tonight for the Wild.
The Wild are off to one of the best starts in franchise history, and Kirill Kaprizov is tied for the NHL scoring lead.
