<p>To say that the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/minnesota-wild/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Minnesota Wild</a> have been sputtering to the finish line this regular season would be an understatement. After a red hot 18-4-4 start to the season, they’ve gone 23-24-2 since and now find themselves not only in a wild card spot, but at risk of being overtaken by the <a href="https://www.dailyfaceoff.com/teams/st-louis-blues/line-combinations" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">St. Louis Blues</a> for the first spot and possibly being susceptible to the <a href="https://flamesnation.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Calgary Flames</a> or <a href="https://canucksarmy.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Vancouver Canucks</a> for a playoff spot.</p>



<p>A lot of those struggles come from the injuries they’ve had to deal with this season. On top of losing Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin and Mats Zuccarello for stretches this season, they’re still without Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek, both of whom have been out of the lineup for most of the last two months. However, as the playoffs approach, they both may be set to return to the lineup.</p><div class="injected-ad injected-video" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="0" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="145"></div>



<p>Michael Russo joined Daily Faceoff Live for their All 32 segment to give an update on Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek’s statuses as the playoffs approach.</p>



<p><strong>Michael Russo: </strong>How close they are, if I had a guess, is about a week away. We’ll get an update from John Hynes tomorrow, since they’re off today. I believe Kirill Kaprizov is seeing his surgeon here in New York today, and same thing with Erikson Ek, he needs full medical clearance. They’ve been on the ice every day, they look great. They have not yet had any contact, and that’s the big thing.</p>



<p>Also, the Wild have no practices until next Tuesday. So if you anticipate that they’ll get a morning skate in tomorrow and Friday, and the Wild have an afternoon game on Sunday, then their next full practice is next Tuesday. It just seems like that’s lining up, as long as they get full medical clearance at some point.</p><div class="injected-ad" data-nn-ad-tech-injection-count="1" data-nn-ad-tech-max-gap="130" data-nn-ad-tech-current-gap="157"></div>



<p>But, the big goal with Kaprizov tomorrow is to get a checkup with his doctor, see where he’s at, get an updated timeframe, and move forward. But they do seem to both be progressing, and watching them in the press box these last couple weeks, you can tell how much they desperately want to get on the ice and help this team out.</p>



<p>You can watch the full episode here…</p>



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Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek (14) celebrates his goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning with defenseman Brock Faber (7), forward Mats Zuccarello (36), and forward Kirill Kaprizov (97) during the second period at Xcel Energy Center.