Wild get Zuccarello, Brodin back after injury absences
The surprisingly elite Minnesota Wild got two key players back from injuries Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Forward Mats Zuccarello returned to the lineup after missing 13 games, and defenseman Jonas Brodin rejoined the team after sitting out eight.
The Wild activated Zuccarello off long-term injured reserve, while Brodin came off regular IR. Zuccarello last played in a Nov. 14 win over the Montreal Canadiens, while Brodin suited up for the first time since a Nov. 25 loss to the Winnipeg Jets.
Zuccarello came into Saturday with six goals and eight assists over 16 contests this season. Brodin entered the day with two tallies and six helpers across 19 games in 2024-25. The Swedish blue-liner ranked third on the Wild and second among Minnesota defensemen in average ice time at 22:08.
Brodin got back on the top pairing alongside Brock Faber on Saturday. Zuccarello's return is significant for the Wild, but Brodin's is even more important because they moved rearguard Jake Middleton to LTIR on Friday.
Minnesota came into Saturday boasting the NHL's second-best points percentage at .724.