Wild place Mats Zuccarello on injured reserve with lower-body injury

Zuccarello has missed all of training camp due to the injury, though it has yet to be specified what exactly is ailing the 38-year-old. If the original prognosis holds true, the Norwegian star is expected to remain out of action well into November, missing close to 20 games to begin the new campaign.

That means there will be a few more names that will have to step up in his absence. Along with the likes of Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Marcus Johansson, newcomer Vladimir Tarasenko will be relied upon to provide some depth scoring to replace Zuccarello’s production.

Despite his age, the former New York Ranger continues to be a key contributor in Minnesota. Last season, he scored 19 goals and 35 assists for 54 points in 69 games, good for fourth on the team in scoring. It’s a little bit of a drop-off from recent years, which saw him post three consecutive 60-point seasons with the Wild. However, for a team mixed with young and experienced talent, Zuccarello brings particular intangibles and skills that have been important in the Wild’s success.

Health has been a question for Zuccarello in recent years. A lower-body injury sustained last November led to his placement on long-term injured reserve. An upper-body injury during the 2023-24 campaign limited him to just 69 games. In fact, the closest Zuccarello has come to playing a full season in the NHL was with the Rangers in 2015-16, when he appeared in 81 games.

In 904 regular-season NHL contests, Zuccarello has scored 217 goals and 473 assists for 690 points. He’s also added 58 points in 102 Stanley Cup Playoff games.

In other Wild roster news. Michael Milne, Cameron Butler and Stevie Leskovar are on the injured, non-roster list until they’re medically cleared.