Wild’s Mats Zuccarello to make season debut against Islanders

It has been a long-awaited return for the Norwegian legend. He was pronounced out for 7-8 weeks with a lower-body injury back in September, resulting in Zuccarello missing all of training camp, as well as the start of the 2025-26 season. It has yet to be reported what exactly caused the 38-year-old to be out of action for so long.

With one of their veteran leaders on the shelf, the Wild have certainly struggled in the first month of the campaign. The team has been playing below .500 for much of the year, including dropping five games in a row last month. Minnesota has slowly started to turn things around over the past week, picking up victories over the Vancouver Canucks and Nashville Predators before losing to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

Despite his age, the former New York Ranger has been a notable offensive threat in Minnesota. Last year, he potted 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 seasons, which saw him post three consecutive 60-point campaigns with the Wild. However, for a team featuring both young and experienced talent, Zuccarello brings a number of intangibles and skills that have been instrumental in the Wild’s success.

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.