TORONTO — The Wild is planning on having Mats Zuccarello in action Thursday against the Maple Leafs after the winger sat out the previous game with an upper-body injury.
Zuccarello practiced Wednesday and skated Thursday morning at Scotiabank Arena, but the team will have call-up Mason Shaw skate warmups ahead of puck drop in case Zuccarello can't play.
Jordan Greenway has already been ruled out; the winger has an upper-body injury.
"Maybe a little more serious than we thought obviously," coach Dean Evason said of Greenway. "But clearly not playing tonight makes it more serious than we anticipated. We'll just see how he progresses."
With Greenway out, the Wild will shift Nick Bjugstad to Greenway's spot alongside Marcus Foligno and Joel Eriksson Ek — a promotion indicative of Bjugstad's recent play; the winger has three assists in two games since returning from a broken finger. Goalie Kaapo Kahkonen will start in net.
Greenway will remain on the road with the Wild. The trip wraps up Saturday at Calgary but before then, the Wild will close out its regular-season series against the Leafs.
In the first matchup, the Wild prevailed 4-3 in a shootout on Dec.4 at Xcel Energy Center after blowing a three-goal lead. Jason Spezza had two of those goals for Toronto and assisted on the third.
"They're a great team," Evason said. "Obviously, special players. We don't get last change, so it'll be an opportunity for everybody to take responsibility when we're on the ice that we do the right things to look after their special, gifted players."
