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Fleury will start Thursday vs. the Ducks.
Minnesota has won four of their last five and will turn to Fluery for the third straight game on Thursday. Fleury has looked poised and motivated lately, riding a three-game winning streak, including saving 21 of 22 shots (.955 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes. Minnesota enters action as sizeable -281 home favourites against the Anaheim Ducks.
Khusnutdinov is expected to make his NHL debut on Thursday vs. Anaheim.
Khusnutdinov was the 37th overall pick of the Minnesota Wild in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The 21-year-old will make his NHL debut on Thursday and his professional North American debut. He has exclusively played in the KHL this point and had 20 points (6G / 14A) in 49 games with Sochi HC this season.
Eriksson Ek (undisclosed) is considered day-to-day as he is expected to miss the next "few games".
Eriksson Ek exited Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Arizona Coyotes after playing 14:55 time-on-ice due to an undisclosed injury. Eriksson Ek has been tremendous for Minnesota this season and, although the severity of his injury seems minor, it creates a sizeable void down the middle in the lineup. Through 66 games this season, Eriksson Ek already has 60 points (29G / 31A), only one shy of his career-high set last season.
Eriksson Ek left Tuesday's game against the Coyotes with an undisclosed and did not return.
The team has not given an update about the undisclosed injury but it's been speculated that Eriksson Ek could be forced to miss a couple games. The Wild can ill afford to be without Eriksson Ek, who has been enjoying a career year. The Wild's number-one centreman has 29 goals and 31 assists in 66 games on the season while playing over 20 minutes a night.
Johansson (lower body) has been activated from Injured Reserve and will return on Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Johansson hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury on March 2nd. He has 27 points (9G / 11A) in 61 games this season.
Beckman will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Beckman played the last three games for Minnesota but will be a healthy scratch on Tuesday. The 22-year-old has one point (0G / 1A), four hits, and two blocks in three games.
Foligno (lower body) is good to play on Tuesday after missing morning skate.
Foligno recently returned from a multi-week absence due to a lower-body injury, but has played the last two games for the Wild and will remain in the lineup on Tuesday despite missing the morning skate. The bruising forward has five penalty minutes and five shots in his last two games.
Fleury will start on Tuesday vs. Arizona.
Fleury has won two straight and will return to the crease for the third time in the last four games. The veteran netminder saved 27 of 30 shots (.900 SV%) in his last outing, a 4-3 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators. Fleury and the Wild enter action as -192 home favourites against an Arizona Coyotes club they defeated 5-2 less than a week ago when Fleury saved 23 of 25 shots (.920 SV%).
Mermis will be a healthy scratch for Sunday's game against the Predators.
Middleton (upper-body) will return to the Wild lineup on Sunday.
Fleury will start against the Predators on Sunday.
Middleton (upper-body) will be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against the Predators.
Middleton (upper-body) will not play in Colorado on Friday.
Middleton was a late scratch for Thursday's game and will be sidelined again on Friday after being a game-time decision. Middleton has seven goals and 13 assists in 62 games this season.
Source: NHL.com 03/8/24, 8:50 pm EST
Foligno (lower-body) will return to the Wild lineup on Friday.
Foligno has not played since February 9th, missing 12 games, but will return to the lineup on Friday. In 47 games this season, Foligno has 20 points (9G / 11A) and 162 hits while averaging 14:35 time-on-ice.
Middleton (upper-body) is a game-time decision for Friday's game in Colorado.
Middleton was a late scratch for Thursday's game but has a chance to return to the lineup just one day later. Middleton has seven goals and 13 assists in 62 games this season.
Gustavsson will start in Colorado on Friday.
Gustavsson will be back between the pipes for the Wild when they travel to Denver on Friday after Marc-Andre Fleury got the nod for Thursday's game in Arizona. Gustavsson saw light work his last time out, facing just 15 shots in a 4-3 victory over the Sharks on Sunday. He's had a disappointing follow up to his breakout campaign a year ago, registering a 17-15-3 record and just an .892 SV%. He draws as difficult of an assignment as you could imagine on Friday with the Wild being +190 underdogs in Colorado.
The Wild acquired Dmitry Ovchinnikov and a 2026 fourth-round pick from the Maple Leafs for Connor Dewar.
Source: @mnwild 03/8/24, 4:44 pm EST
The Wild have acquired Turner Elson from the Rangers for Nic Petan.
Elson is a 31-year-old journeyman who has played three career NHL games, most recently in the 2021-22 season with the Detroit Red Wings. Elson has spent the entirety of the 2023-24 campaign with the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL), scoring 12 points (5G / 7A) in 38 games.
Source: @mnwild 03/8/24, 1:06 pm EST
Middleton (undisclosed) will not play against the Coyotes on Thursday.
Middleton will miss Thursday's game in Arizona as he presumably deals with an undisclosed injury. Middleton has seven goals and 13 assists in 62 games this season.
Source: NHL.com 03/7/24, 8:46 pm EST