The Minnesota Wild announced Tuesday that forward Mats Zuccarello is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
Zuccarello is set to miss Tuesday game in Boston after missing his first game of the season Monday, a 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 36-year-old winger is the team’s leader in points with 28 (six goals and 22 assists). Zuccarello scored 22 goals and had 45 assists in 78 games for Minnesota last season.
After Monday’s loss, Wild head coach John Hynes said Zuccarello’s status was day-to-day. The Athletic’s Joe Smith reported the injury is not a long-term injured reserve situation and that Vinni Lettieri will be the team’s replacement forward in Zuccarello’s absence.
Lettieri has scored three goals and one assist in 14 games with the Wild this season, including one Monday in Pittsburgh.
John Hynes said Mats Zuccarello was dealing with a lingering issue. Got it checked out today and decided it’d be longer. Again, not LTIR. Lettieri should get regular playing time. Hartman up in Zuccarello spot. No other lineup changes. Fleury in net. #mnwild
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) December 19, 2023
The puck drops just after 6 p.m. Tuesday in Boston.
