Coyle out a month; Zucker returns to Wild

October 7, 2013 at 11:48AM
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The Wild is winless at 0-0-2 and now faces up to a month without its second-line center, Charlie Coyle.

Coyle sustained a sprained knee midway through the second period in Saturday's overtime loss to the Anaheim Ducks. The team announced that Coyle will miss 3-4 weeks.

"It's not an ideal situation, but I'm fortunate it's nothing worse than it is," Coyle said. "I'm going to keep a positive mindset, and I'm looking forward to recovering and doing everything I can to be healthy again."

One week after Jason Zucker was the final cut of training camp, the 21-year-old left wing was recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League and will be in lineup Tuesday in Nashville.

Mikael Granlund, 21, likely will move from third-line right wing to second-line center. Zucker, who played with Granlund last season in Houston, likely will play second-line left wing, although coach Mike Yeo was noncommittal to the team's plans Sunday night.

If Zucker skates on the second line, either 21-year-old Nino Niederreiter or veteran Dany Heatley would drop down a line or two.

Zucker scored four goals in 20 games last season and an overtime winner in the playoffs.

Minnesota Wild center Charlie Coyle (3) and St. Louis Blues center Jaden Schwartz (9) chase the puck during the second period of a preseason NHL hockey game in St. Paul, Minn., Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2013. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
Charlie Coyle, here in the preseason, lasted two regular-season games before suffering an injury. (Tom Wallace — ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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