SEATTLE — The Wild will play at Seattle Thursday night without the team's top scorer, who has been placed in the NHL's COVID protocol.
Winger Mats Zuccarello, who has notched three goals and four assists so far in the Wild's six games this season, is out as is newly acquired forward Rem Pitlick, who is also in the league's COVID protocol.
The Athletic hockey beat writer Mike Russo says Zuccarello and Pitlick will be tested over the next two days to see if their results come back negative. If both players test positive they will need to isolate for 10 days and be symptom-free afterward before rejoining their team.
The Wild is already without G.M. Bill Guerin and assistant coach Darby Hendrickson, goaltending coach Frederic Chabot and video room assistant T.J. Jindra, who stayed home from the western road trip after they too were placed in COVID protocol.
To fill out the lineup Minnesota called up forwards Kyle Rau and Connor Dewar, and defenseman Jon Lizotte from the Iowa Wild. Rau has picked up five points in four games for the AHL club this season,, while Dewar has four points.
Both Dewar and Lizotte have never played in an NHL game.
