Minnesota to miss pair of key players for 2022 Winter Classic
The Minnesota Wild will host the St. Louis Blues in less than one week at Target Field in the 2022 Winter Classic, but they'll do so without two key players.
According to Michael Russo of The Athletic, forward Joel Eriksson Ek and defenceman/captain Jared Spurgeon will miss the outdoor game with their respective injuries.
"Eriksson Ek and Spurgeon won't play in the Winter Classic. Not «rosy outcomes,» said Evason. But not clarifying further #mnwild," Russo said.
Spurgeon, 32, has been out since November with a lower-body injury and is still deemed week-to-week. In 21 games this season, the Edmonton, Alberta native has eleven points (three goals, eight assists), four penalty minutes, and is a plus-eight.
Eriksson-Ek, 24, suffered an upper-body injury in Minnesota's final game before the holiday break on December 20th. In 30 games this season, the Karlstad, Sweden native has twenty points (eleven goals, nine assists), sixteen penalty minutes, and is a plus-eight.
The Wild's next scheduled game is the Winter Classic on January 1st vs the St. Louis Blues.
Eriksson Ek and Spurgeon won't play in the Winter Classic. Not «rosy outcomes,» said Evason. But not clarifying further #mnwild— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) December 26, 2021
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Kyle Connor | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alex Tuch | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Owen Power | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Michael Bunting | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Drew Helleson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jirí Kulich | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Isac Lundestrom | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Vladislav Namestnikov | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nino Niederreiter | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Gabriel Vilardi | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jason Zucker | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Leo Carlsson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nikolaj Ehlers | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Ross Johnston | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Josh Morrissey | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Cole Perfetti | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Bryan Rust | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Mark Scheifele | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Trevor Zegras | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 20 | 17 | 3 | - | 34 | |
Wild | 19 | 13 | 3 | 3 | 29 | |
Hurricanes | 19 | 14 | 5 | - | 28 | |
Devils | 22 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 28 | |
Capitals | 19 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
Golden Knights | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Maple Leafs | 20 | 12 | 6 | 2 | 26 | |
Rangers | 18 | 12 | 5 | 1 | 25 | |
Panthers | 20 | 12 | 7 | 1 | 25 | |
Flames | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||