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Healthier Wild Aim to Regain Momentum After Winnipeg Defeat

In a promising turn of events for the Minnesota Wild, Monday night’s game at the Xcel Energy Center began with a glimmer of optimism. Filip Gustavsson, the team’s starting goaltender, returned to action after a four-game absence, donning the 1978-style North Stars throwback jersey.

The Wild also welcomed forward Yakov Trenin back to the lineup after he missed five games due to an upper body injury. Although Trenin has struggled for consistency this season, he showed flashes of potential during the team’s recent West Coast road trip, scoring in consecutive games before his injury. Meanwhile, top-line center Joel Eriksson Ek made an appearance at the team’s morning skate, signaling that his recovery from a lower body injury might soon conclude.

Head coach John Hynes expressed cautious optimism about the improving health of his roster. “It’s always nice to see the guys who have been injured for a while get back,” Hynes said. “It’s a lot to go through rehab and skating alone, so this progression is encouraging.”

Despite this positive news, the team continues to grapple with the absence of defenseman Jake Middleton, who is not expected to return until 2025 due to an upper body injury.

The return of key players comes at a critical juncture for the Wild, who are battling their biggest slump of the season. Following a disappointing 5-0 loss to the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday — their first scoreless outing of the season — Hynes acknowledged that his team had veered “off script.” A meeting before Monday’s practice addressed these struggles and emphasized a return to the disciplined play that fueled the team’s strong start to the season.

“We addressed some of the issues this morning and reminded the players of what brought us success earlier in the season,” Hynes said. “It’s about focusing on the task at hand and executing our game plan.”

The Wild faced the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night, hoping to reset before the upcoming Christmas break. The team will have three days off before traveling to Dallas on Friday for a challenging matchup against the Stars, a team that has posed difficulties for the Wild in recent meetings.

Despite the adversity, Hynes remains confident in the team’s ability to rediscover its form. “We’ve got one target tonight—Chicago,” he stated. “We need to ensure we stay focused and hit that target.”

As the Wild look to build on their early-season success, the return of key players like Gustavsson, Trenin, and eventually Eriksson Ek offers hope for a resurgence as the season progresses.