Wild C Joel Eriksson Ek (lower body) out vs. Blackhawks

Field Level Media|published: 03/17/2026, 3:02pm EDT

Feb 26, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek (14) in the first period against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek will miss Tuesday's game against the host Chicago Blackhawks with a lower-body injury, coach John Hynes said.

Eriksson Ek, 29, is listed as day-to-day and likely will miss at least three games, per general manager Bill Guerin.

Robby Fabbri will take the Sweden native's place in the lineup. Minnesota also brought up rookie forward Hunter Haight from Iowa of the American Hockey League. Haight, 21, has no points in five games for the Wild.

Eriksson Ek had 18:47 of ice time in a 4-2 home setback to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday.

He has 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists), a plus-13 rating, 28 blocks, 92 hits and 19:18 average time on the ice in 62 games this season.

Minnesota selected him 20th overall in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Fabbri, 30, was selected off waivers from the St. Louis Blues on March 2. He has played in three games for the Wild and has two penalty minutes and six shots attempted. In 15 games for the Blues, Fabbri had one goal, three assists and a minus-3 rating in 12:36 average ice time.

St. Louis picked Fabbri 21st overall in the 2014 draft.

--Field Level Media