'It's A Challenge': Wild Feel Depth Will Bring Them Past The Challenge Of No Eriksson Ek & Brodin For Weeks

The Wild will be without Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin for weeks. This will be a big test.

ST. PAUL - Ahead of their three-game road trip, the Minnesota Wild announced that center Joel Eriksson Ek will be out week-to-week with a lower-body injury. 

On top of that, the Wild also said Jonas Brodin will be out week-to-week with an upper-body injury. 

The Wild are 17-4-4 and are the best team in the NHL. They have handled some adversity at times this year with injuries but this seems like a big test for them without their two best defensive players. 

I asked Wild head coach John Hynes about this challenge. 

"Yeah, it's a challenge," Hynes said. "I think going into every year, all 32 teams are going to experience this at some point. I think the teams that have strong collective effort, play a real structured game, play a smart game, and you know, it gives yourself a chance to be able to win every night. The other thing is, we feel like in the off-season, this was something we had talked about. How do we get our depth stronger? 

"We know that every team is going to get their depth tested. We wanted to get bigger, stronger, and more experienced, and we think we've done that. You've seen guys like Shore, Boyd, Jones and now Reese Johnson. These guys were all experienced players. They play the game the right way and are highly competitive. That also gives the guys that are in the lineup opportunities to play in some different roles, but they still have to be true to their game."

The Wild recalled Travis Boyd, and Reese Johnson before they went to California. They are also expecting forward Jakub Lauko to return from his injury soon. 

Nonetheless, the Wild feel they are set to take on this challenge despite the big injuries. And their new and improved depth is a big reason why. 

"Yeah, I think all that helps. That's why when you come into training camp, talking with the team and the players, that understanding why structure really matters. It allows you to play as a five-man unit. It allows you to be able to play together. At probably any, or at least the NFL and the NHL being contact sports, there are injuries all the time because of the nature of the game. Now when guys understand, it's the same thing with Iowa, playing the same style of game that we want. Now when you get in these situations, guys don't have to come up and think, and as a coach you trust them because you know they know what they are supposed to do in certain situations."

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