ST PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild just can't seem to catch a break.
Plagued by injuries and inconsistent play for much of the season, the club managed to turn things around with some big wins on a 7- game homestand, only to lose a key player from the lineup.
Defenseman Jonas Brodin has been placed on Injured Reserve, the club announced Thursday. The Athletic reports that Brodin reaggravated an injury first suffered Feb. 6 against Arizona, and team trainers want to give him time to fully heal. Brodin, who is a mainstay of the Wild's penalty kill and an anchor of the club's 3 on 3 rotation, will reportedly miss at least four games.
"The medical staff feels it's best to give him some time to rest here, we don't know how long that's going to be," head coach Dean Evason told reporters. "We'll get him right so we can get him back."
To replace Brodin's spot on the roster, defenseman Dakota Mermis has been called up from the Iowa Wild, and rookie Calen Addison, who has been banished as a healthy scratch the past four games, will likely be in the lineup Thursday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Addison has been a catalyst on the Minnesota power play but has struggled defensively, currently a team worst -18 in plus/minus.
"Just defensive compete, that's what we're looking for," Evason said when asked about Addison's return to the ice. "We know his power play and offensive side, his awareness, his ability to see the ice, his ability to make plays, to shoot the puck is there. His ability to keep the puck out of the net while he's on the ice isn't as good as it should be. And that's why he has not played for a while."
There is a bit of good news for the Wild in the return of forward and assistant captain Marcus Foligno, who has been out for a string of games with a knee injury.
The Wild currently hold a wild card playoff spot, but have little room for error in an extremely tight Western Conference race.
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