Zidlicky banged-up; Xcel Energy Center to change glass for next season

Very quick update as the Wild had just a travel day to San Jose today.

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky is banged up with a lower body injury. He's questionable for Thursday's game against San Jose. Marco Scandella, who was reassigned yesterday, was recalled. The Wild couldn't get him a flight last night, so he was able to just fly with the team this morning because the Wild spent the night in Vancouver.

No update on Guillaume Latendresse as of yet.

Lastly, the Wild will replace the seamless tempered glass at Xcel Energy Center next season with a new plexiglass system. This is because of league and union concern at the little give that comes with seamless tempered glass when players are checked into it.

From yesterday:

National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA) Executive Director Don Fehr made the following statement today regarding initiatives announced at the GM meetings:

"The NHLPA is pleased that we have reached an agreement with the NHL regarding clarification of the Concussion Evaluation and Management Protocol. We are confident that the protocol will be properly implemented across the NHL by each of its member clubs. This is a significant step to improve player safety, and concussion protocol is an area where we will continue to work with the league, through the joint NHL/NHLPA Concussion Working Group.

We are also pleased that the NHL has agreed to replace the seamless tempered glass with plexiglass systems. During discussions with the NHL last year, the NHLPA agreed to approve new soft cap shoulder pads beginning with the 2010-11 season, provided that the NHL agreed to review boards and glass in each of the 30 NHL rinks, in particular, those rinks where seamless glass is currently in place, an area of NHLPA membership concern. Following the boards and glass review, the NHL agreed that the six NHL arenas that have seamless tempered glass would be required to be replaced with a safer plexiglass system by the start of the 2011-12 season. This is a positive development, and the league and the NHLPA will continue to monitor all boards and glass to determine if further changes are required.

In regards to the other announcements coming out of the GM meetings today, we welcome these steps and look forward to discussing these and other issues with the NHL to provide a safer working environment for the Players."

Quick reminder that the online auction ends tomorrow (March 16) for the custom-designed camouflage jerseys Wild players wore during pre-game warm-ups on Tuesday, Feb. 22. The auction is available on the Community page of www.wild.com. Proceeds from the online auction benefit Defending The Blue Line. Pierre-Marc Bouchard's jersey currently has the highest bid at $1710. Each jersey has a different end time in the auction. Bouchard's jersey has the last auction time ending at 9:33 Central.