Middleton has not played Minnesota's previous two games due to an illness but could be an option on Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks. The 29-year-old defenseman is averaging 18:07 time-on-ice and has one assist in 16 games this season.

Rossi didn't show any signs of an injury in Minnesota's most recent game, but head coach John Hynes announced that Rossi will miss some time due to a lower-body injury. The 24-year-old was off to a decent start this season, scoring 13 points (4G / 9A) in 17 games, but was limited to only one point (1G / 0A) in his last five.

Minnesota has had good results in recent games with Jesper Wallstedt tending the twine, but will turn to Gustavsson on Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks. The 27-year-old Gustavsson struggled in his most recent outing, allowing four goals on 27 shots (.852 SV%) in a 4-3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He has a 3.19 GAA and .896 SV% in 12 games this season (4-7-1). Minnesota enters Tuesday's contest as sizable -205 home favorites against a Sharks team riding a three-game winning streak.

A fifth-round draft pick in 2022 by the Wild, Spacek has spent the last three seasons in the AHL and is yet to make his NHL debut. He has appeared in 12 games with Iowa this season, registering zero goals and six assists.

Jones will take a seat on Friday as the Wild opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Danila Yurov will dress in his place.

Yurov will slot back into the Wild lineup as they opt to get some fresh legs into their lineup for the tail-end of their back-to-back. Ben Jones will sit in his place.

Wallstedt will make just his fourth start of the season when the Wild travel to Long Island on Friday. The former first-round pick struggled mightily in his last outing, allowing six goals on 25 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss to the Sharks on October 26th. Wallstedt carries a 1-0-2 record and .863 SV% into the Friday night's matchup with the Islanders, where the Wild enter action at +130 on the money line.

Zuccarello was originally scheduled to be out of the lineup until late November, but finds himself a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, drawing into the lineup for his season debut on Friday against the New York Islanders. The 38-year-old Zuccarello has remained productive for Minnesota over the years, playing primarily alongside Kirill Kaprizov, including scoring 54 points (19G / 35A) in 69 games last season.

For the first time this season, Minnesota has won consecutive games and will try to extend its winning streak to three when Gustavsson tends the twine on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes. Gustavsson has been solid in his last two games (2-0-0), saving 58 of 62 combined shots (.935 SV%). The 27-year-old goalie has a 3.11 GAA and .900 SV% in 11 games this season (4-6-1). Minnesota enters Thursday's contest as +167 road underdogs against a Hurricanes team that has lost three of its last five games (2-3-0).

Daemon Hunt will make his season debut on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes, sending Jiricek to the sidelines as a healthy scratch. The 21-year-old Jiricek has yet to score a point in 10 games this season, but has seen sheltered minutes, averaging only 12:40 time-on-ice while playing on Minnesota's bottom defensive pair.

David Jiricek will be a healthy scratch on Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes, allowing Hunt to enter the lineup for his season debut. The 23-year-old Hunt spent the entirety of the 2024-25 season in the AHL, where he scored 14 points (2G / 12A) in 48 games with the Cleveland Monsters.

Zuccarello was originally scheduled to be out of the lineup until late November, but finds himself a couple of weeks ahead of schedule, on the precipice of returning to the lineup. The 38-year-old Zuccarello has remained productive for Minnesota over the years, playing primarily alongside Kirill Kaprizov, including scoring 54 points (19G / 35A) in 69 games last season.