The Minnesota Wild are carrying a few moving parts into Thursday’s game at Tampa Bay, and the latest one comes up front.
Nick Foligno left Tuesday’s win over Buffalo late in the first period with an upper-body injury and did not return. He played only 3:29 across five shifts before heading to the locker room, and he is now day-to-day. That comes with Brock Faber still out indefinitely after surgery on a fractured skull, leaving Minnesota thin in a couple of places as the team moves to 2-0-1 to start the 2026-27 season.
To help cover the shortfall at forward, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin recalled Tyler Pitlick from Iowa on Wednesday afternoon. The move gives head coach John Hynes another option for the trip to Florida.
Pitlick is no stranger to the organization. Guerin brought Nick Foligno in at last March’s deadline so he could join Marcus, and the two brothers have been skating together on the fourth line with Michael McCarron. Marcus Foligno described the injury situation by saying it was “just something that’s bothering Nick, and he just couldn’t handle it anymore,” per The Hockey News.
Pitlick, 34, brings a familiar profile and a familiar background. He is a Minneapolis native who came out of Centennial High School, played college hockey at Minnesota State Mankato, and is the cousin of former Wild forward Rem Pitlick.
Minnesota signed him before last season, and he appeared in 32 games for the 2025-26 club, finishing with two goals and a career-low 7:46 of average ice time. The Wild later waived him in March to make room for Robby Fabbri, who is no longer with the organization.
He spent 20 games with Iowa last season and produced 10 goals and 15 points. Across 11 NHL seasons and nine teams, the former Oilers second-round pick has totaled 58 goals and 111 points in 452 games.
Pitlick also opened this preseason with a goal in the exhibition against Chicago, then cleared waivers on Sept. 24 after Minnesota placed him there the previous day. He has started this season well in Des Moines, recording a goal and three points in two games for Iowa.
For now, the Wild appear set to use him as depth on the trip. The Athletic’s Michael Russo noted that Pitlick gives Minnesota an extra forward, and The Hockey News expects Nico Sturm to move into Foligno’s spot if Foligno cannot play, with Pitlick working as the 13th forward.
In Other News...
Wild Let A 2-0 Lead Slip In A Brutal Road Loss
The Wild had the game where they wanted it for most of the night in Buffalo, carrying a two-goal lead into the stretch before the Sabres started to chip away. Minnesota could not close it out, and what looked like a solid road win instead turned into a frustrating defeat after Buffalos late push kept the pressure on until the end.
Buffalo finished the rally with third-period goals from Tage Thompson and Noah Ostlund to force overtime, while Colten Ellis held his own with 18 saves in his season debut. For a Minnesota team that had already done enough early to feel in control, the loss leaves the familiar sour aftertaste of letting a lead get away, especially with the Sabres finding just enough offense to turn the night around. [Read more 🡒]
Sabres Win Came With A Wild Injury Scare Fans Will Notice
Nick Folignos night ended early against the Sabres, adding an unwelcome injury note to a game Minnesota was already trying to manage. The veteran forward left with an upper-body injury and had already seen limited ice time before he was forced out, a reminder of how quickly a hard-working depth piece can become a concern for a team that leans on experience in the lineup.
Foligno, who scored the Wilds season-opening goal earlier in the year, has been part of the group since arriving last season and returning on a one-year deal. For Minnesota, any absence would be worth monitoring not just because of what he brings on the ice, but because he has fit as one of those dependable role players who can steady a lineup when things get choppy. [Read more 🡒]
Wild Forced Into Forward Shuffle Before Next Game
Minnesotas forward depth took a hit after Nick Foligno left the previous game early, leaving the Wild to adjust on the fly before a matchup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The veterans absence creates an opening in the lineup, and the timing matters for a team that has had to lean on its depth throughout the season.
Tyler Pitlick was recalled from Iowa to help fill the gap, giving the Wild another experienced option who has spent time in both the NHL and AHL. Now in his second year with Minnesota, Pitlick gives the coaching staff a familiar plug-in as it waits to see how long Foligno is unavailable. [Read more 🡒]