Bruce Boudreau confirmed my story from this morning that Joel Eriksson Ek is on his way back to North America. The Wild coach said he didn't know if the plan was to yet start him with Iowa or Minnesota, but I can't imagine the Wild would recall him if the plan wasn't to eventually have him in its lineup here.
In fact, he could be on the ice for Wednesday's practice.
Sources close to Eriksson Ek say he's flying from Karlstad to Germany to Chicago to here. Can't imagine he lands and is put in a car to Des Moines, but we'll see if they do want to give him a few games there.
As I said on the previous blog, he has played left wing down the stretch for Farjestad and I'd think he starts that way here. Maybe you go with Eriksson Ek and Nino Niederreiter on the third line with Martin Hanzal and a Chris Stewart/Ryan White/Jordan Schroeder with Erik Haula and Jason Pominville.
Right now, Hanzal remains at the third line. I asked Boudreau about some folks believing Hanzal's acquisition has slowed the Wild and its game down.
"I don't believe that," Boudreau said. "I think when he's played really good, we've won. I think anytime you can have those three centers down the middle, come the time that you need them, they're going to be there. I think Marty's done everything. He's contributed offensively, and he's been really good on the penalty kill. Granted, he is a little slower, but he's always in the right position, so that makes up for it."
The Wild has won five of 16 games since the Hanzal trade, although he missed three of the losses with illness. He has one goal and six assists in 13 games, which is a production juggernaut considering the Wild's slumps right now
Wild plays the Caps tonight. Nashville visits Boston.
