Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov to return to lineup, Joel Eriksson Ek out week-to-week

Eriksson Ek has 206 points in 421 games over seven years and has become an integral piece of Minnesota’s attack, sitting tied for third in team scoring with Matt Boldy. There’s no specific date for Eriksson’s Ek, but the team has just four games remaining in the regular season.

The news comes as Kirill Kaprizov is set to return to the lineup Saturday evening against the St. Louis Blues. The Russian forward has been out since March 8 with a lower-body injury and only just recently started skating again. Kaprizov, 25, has 74 points in 65 games and is coming off a year that saw him scoring 47 goals and 108 points for one of the best individual performances in franchise history.

The Wild currently sit third in the Central Division, having already locked up a playoff spot. If the playoffs were to start today, they’d face off against the Dallas Stars in what could be a wild opening round. The Wild will host the Blues on Saturday before facing off against the Chicago Blackhawks – a bottom-three team – on Monday. They’ll close the schedule out with games against Winnipeg and Nashville – two teams in must-win situations.

Getting Kaprizov back up to speed before the playoffs will be the team’s No. 1 priority. If Eriksson Ek can join in time for the playoffs, they’ll be one challenging team to beat. For now, it’s all about staying healthy for the stretch run.