The Minnesota Wild have activated goaltender Filip Gustavsson and designated forward Kirill Kaprizov is a game-time decision ahead Saturday night’s game against the Arizona Coyotes at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Gustavsson has posted a 10-9-2 record, a 2.95 goals against average and a .903 save percentage in 22 games this season but has been out since suffering a lower-body injury during a Dec. 30 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
The injury came at a bad time for Gustavsson, who was rebounding from a slow start to the season. After posting a 2-6-2 record with a .881 save percentage in his first 11 games, the 26-year-old went 8-3-0 with a .927 save percentage in his 11 games before the injury.
In a corresponding move, the Wild have sent down former first-round pick Jesper Wallstedt to their AHL affiliate in Iowa after he allowed seven goals in a 7-2 loss to the Dallas Stars on Wednesday night.
The move comes one day after Gustavvson, Kaprizov and defenseman Jonas Brodin skated with the Wild during practice on Friday. While neither player played in Friday’s loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, Wild head coach John Hynes told reporters that he wanted to see how the trio responded to Friday’s skate before making a decision.
Kaprizov has 13 goals and 21 assists (34 points) in 34 games this season but reportedly suffered broken ribs in the Dec. 30 loss to the Jets. Brodin has one goal and eight assists in 25 games this season and has been out since Dec. 8 with a right arm injury.
The group’s return should give the Wild a boost after going 1-6-1 over their last eight games and entering Saturday’s game six points behind the Edmonton Oilers for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.
