Wild forward Mikael Granlund is out at least a week after being placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury (reportedly a head injury). Minnesota has recalled forward Jason Zucker from AHL to fill in.
Granlund was hurt early in last night’s 3-1 loss to Phoenix, his first game after missing two with a lower-body injury. The 21-year-old has two goals and 10 assists in 24 games this season.
Here’s how the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo saw the injury occur:
First shift by Granlund and Connor Murphy catches him with a shot up high. Not good. Goes to the bench very slowly
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 28, 2013
Looking at replay, Granlund was going in to deliver check & Murphy got rid of the puck and met him high to protect self. Granlund dazed
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 28, 2013
It’s been a tough couple of weeks for Granlund, as noted by Russo:
Granlund took a head shot from Toronto’s Nazem Kadri, then took a hard hit four games later from Ottawa’s Marc Methot where he crashed into the boards. He missed two games, returned to the lineup last night against Phoenix and was lost 29 seconds into his first shift when he was hit high by rookie defenseman Connor Murphy as Granlund tried to deliver a check.
Here’s that hit by Methot:
The Wild host Colorado Friday. Injured winger Zach Parise (foot) practiced today, so it’s possible he could return for that contest.
#mnwild lines: Parise-Koivu-Coyle; Nino-Fontaine-Pominville; Zucker-Brodziak-Heatley; Cooke-Konopka-Mitchell
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 28, 2013
Related: What injury? Parise (foot) skates day after being ruled out 2-3 weeks