Jan 7, 2025; Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA; St. Louis Blues center Jordan Kyrou (25) passes to center Brayden Schenn (10) around the defense of Minnesota Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin (25) and defenseman Declan Chisholm (47) in the first period at Xcel Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Wild Activate Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson from Injury Reserve

Minnesota Wild strengthen their lineup with the return of Jonas Brodin and Marcus Johansson ahead of their next matchup.

The Minnesota Wild have activated defenseman Jonas Brodin from long-term injured reserve and winger Marcus Johansson from standard IR ahead of tonight’s game against the Bruins. To make room, forward Ben Jones was sent down to AHL Iowa.

Brodin has been out for 12 games with a lower-body injury he sustained on January 7 against the Hurricanes, while Johansson missed eight games after suffering a concussion from a hit by Oilers star Connor McDavid on January 15. Both players participated fully in practice Monday, signaling they were ready to return.

Wild activate Jonas Brodin from LTIR; Marcus Johansson off IR https://t.co/6Xq2WoxiJQ
— Daily Faceoff (@DailyFaceoff) February 4, 2025

The timing couldn’t be better for the Wild, who are dealing with a rough patch. Kirill Kaprizov is on long-term injured reserve after lower-body surgery, and Ryan Hartman just received a 10-game suspension. While Kaprizov’s absence gives the Wild plenty of cap space to work with, Hartman’s suspension still eats up a roster spot, making lineup management tricky.

Also Read : Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Conor Geekie to AHL Syracuse

Brodin will likely slot back into a top-four role alongside captain Jared Spurgeon. He’s had a solid year despite battling injuries, posting 16 points in 31 games—the best offensive pace in his 13-year career. Brodin is also a key piece of the team’s penalty kill and averages over 23 minutes of ice time per game. The Wild struggled without him, going 5-7-0 during his latest absence and allowing more goals and shots than usual.

On the other hand, Johansson hasn’t made a big offensive impact this season, with 16 points in 44 games, but his return adds much-needed depth to the lineup. He’s expected to play on a line with Marcus Foligno and Marco Rossi and will continue his role on the second powerplay unit.

As for Ben Jones, the 25-year-old forward heads back to Iowa after being called up last week. He didn’t get any ice time during his stint with the Wild but has been productive in the AHL, scoring 14 points in 20 games.

The Wild are still in a decent position, holding third place in the Central Division with a two-point lead over the Avalanche and a game in hand. However, their play has been inconsistent lately, and getting Brodin and Johansson back should help stabilize things as they aim to secure a playoff spot.

Image Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Jonas Brodin

Marcus Johansson

Minnesota Wild

NHL

Anamika Shrivastava

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