The growing list of Minnesota Wild injuries could put the team in a bad spot for Tuesday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres.
We’re talking about enough injuries to put the team down to eight forwards, meaning Nate Prosser was practicing as a forward – not a defenseman – on Monday just to give the Wild three lines to work with, according to the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo.
Zach Parise is “ahead of schedule” in his rehab from a lower-body injury, but he, Zach Dalpe and Marco Scandella remain week to week. Head coach Bruce Boudreau added that Erik Haula could miss another 7-10 days and Chris Stewart missed Monday’s practice with an illness.
Boudreau says Parise thinks he's ahead of schedule. Haula is probably a week to 10 days away. #mnwild
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 31, 2016
Russo explains that there could be a tricky way to get around the salary cap and call up enough players to give the Wild four lines, but nothing is a sure thing just yet.
Minnesota called up Christoph Bertschy and Tyler Graovac for Saturday’s win over the Stars, but both were reassigned to the Iowa Wild of the AHL after the game.
Boudreau: "We're obviously going to have to call up a couple guys tomorrow." #mnwild
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) October 31, 2016
The Wild are 6-2-1 and ranked No. 2 in Bleacher Report’s NHL power rankings, but how long can they stay hot?
“Too many guys in and out of the lineup really to know what we got. We’re a skating team. We’re not going to over-physical anybody,” said Boudreau, describing the Wild after Saturday’s win. “We’re going to be a hard-working, in-your-face team and hopefully we’re a smart team that moves the puck quick … pains in the ass to play against.”
