The Minnesota Wild are once again navigating life without one of their most dependable blueliners. Jonas Brodin is heading to injured reserve with a lower-body injury that’s been lingering since mid-December, and the team is bracing to be without him for the next few weeks.
This isn’t a new storyline for the Wild-or for Brodin. The veteran defenseman has already missed five games this season, and this latest setback stems from the same issue that sidelined him for nine days last month.
There wasn’t a single defining play that caused the injury to flare up again, but it’s clearly been bothering him for a while. With six games on the schedule over the next 10 days, it’s highly unlikely Brodin will reach the 70-game mark for the fourth straight season.
That’s been the unfortunate trend lately. Since the start of the 2022-23 campaign, Brodin has suited up for just 73% of Minnesota’s regular-season games.
For a player with his skill set and importance to the blue line, that’s a tough pill to swallow. He’s under contract through the 2027-28 season with a $6 million cap hit, and when healthy, he’s worth every bit of it.
Brodin isn’t flashy, but he’s the kind of defenseman coaches love-steady, smart, and rarely out of position. Over the last four injury-hit seasons, he’s posted 17 goals and 76 points in 214 games while maintaining a +58 rating.
That’s not just solid-it’s elite shutdown work. His even-strength on-ice save percentage sits at 91.6%, and he consistently starts shifts in the defensive zone, taking on tough matchups night after night.
His absence won’t just impact the Wild. Team Sweden could feel the ripple effects as well.
Brodin is expected to be a key piece of their blue line at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He played in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off and was a standout at the IIHF World Championships, where he tallied seven points in 10 games.
If this injury lingers deeper into the season, it could complicate Sweden’s plans heading into the Olympic break.
In the meantime, Minnesota’s making moves to fill the void. The Wild have recalled Carson Lambos from AHL Iowa, and prospect David Spacek is expected to make his NHL debut tonight.
The 22-year-old Spacek has been quietly productive in the AHL this season, putting up three goals and 19 points in 35 games. Now, he gets his shot at the big stage.
For a team that’s been hit hard by injuries on the back end, this is another test of depth and resilience. Brodin’s presence will be missed, no question-but for Spacek and Lambos, this is a chance to prove they can hold their own at the NHL level.