Wild coach Mike Yeo didn't have many details Wednesday about the injury that knocked forward Zach Parise out of Tuesday's game--and out of the Wild's lineup, at least for the short term. Yeo said after Wednesday's practice that Parise has an upper-body injury and will not accompany the team on a three-game road trip that begins Thursday in Ottawa. As the Wild prepared to leave on a 1 p.m. flight, Parise was preparing to meet with doctors to learn more about the severity of the injury.

Parise was hurt during the Wild's 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Tuesday and did not come out for the third period. He did not practice Wednesday. Yeo did not disclose anything more specific about the injury other than to repeat it was to Parise's upper body, and he was uncertain how long Parise might be out.

Yeo said he didn't see how the injury happened, but he knew something was wrong when Parise came to the bench and summoned the trainers. He said no roster moves are imminent.

"This is a hole that isn't easily filled," Yeo said. "It's a tough mountain to climb without a guy like that in your lineup."

In Wednesday's practice, Thomas Vanek replaced Parise on the top line with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville. Vanek and Pominville were linemates in Buffalo for about two years and are close friends. Yeo said he hopes they can rekindle that chemistry.

"(Parise) is a tough guy to replace," Pominville said. "It won't be one guy stepping up and being a hero. We'll have to rely on our depth. We've had four lines this year that have been able to create offense."

Yeo also has talked all season about the importance of depth to the Wild, and he said it will be tested with so many key players--including Parise, D Jared Spurgeon (shoulder) and F Matt Cooke (lower-body injury)--out of the lineup.

Cooke also is not on the trip. F Kyle Brodziak missed practice today to be with his wife, who is about to deliver a child, and will fly separately to Ottawa. D Keith Ballard is improving, Yeo said, but still needs time to get back up to speed after his long illness.

RACHEL BLOUNT