Just when it seemed the band was getting back together …
The Wild are almost at full strength — a rarity for an NHL team — but first-line winger Mats Zuccarello came away from Wednesday's victory over Tampa Bay with an upper body injury that will keep him out on Saturday in Buffalo and Sunday against St. Louis at Xcel Energy Center.
Brandon Duhaime, who hasn't played since Nov. 23 because of an undisclosed upper body injury, will return to action Saturday.
Coach Dean Evason moved Matt Boldy to replace Zuccarello on a line with center Sam Steel and Kirill Kaprizov. Duhaime takes Boldy's spot with center Freddy Gaudreau and winger Ryan Hartman.
"It's obviously a tough loss for the team — we're really going to miss Zucc," Kaprizov said through an interpreter. "In terms of playing with Boldy, we've had plenty of times together out on the ice and we've played together before."
Evason said Zuccarello, the team's second-leading scorer, will accompany the team on next week's East Coast road trip, so the injury seems short-term.
"Don't want to see anyone get injured, but it happens and we feel very comfortable with the group we have," Evason said. "People can step up and step in in different situations … obviously a little different look on the power play as well, so yeah, looking forward to the challenge."
Rarin' to go
Duhaime has missed the past 18 games, a stretch where the Wild won 13 games.