Minnesota Wild Fans Watching the Olympics with Hope-and a Bit of Nerves
With the 2026 Winter Olympics in full swing, the NHL is on pause, giving players a chance to either rest up or represent their countries on the world’s biggest stage. For the Minnesota Wild, that break is a mixed bag. Most of the roster stayed home, but eight key players packed their bags for Italy, suiting up for Sweden, the United States, and Germany.
It’s a proud moment for the organization and the fanbase-seeing your guys skate for their countries is always special. But for Wild fans, there's also a very real sense of unease.
Injuries have been a persistent storyline this season, and now some of the team’s most important pieces are logging heavy minutes in high-stakes, high-intensity Olympic games. Let’s break down why that’s both exciting and nerve-wracking.
Joel Eriksson Ek: The Warrior You Can’t Afford to Lose
No one embodies the Wild’s gritty identity quite like Joel Eriksson Ek. He’s a beast in the faceoff circle, a menace in front of the net, and the kind of player who absorbs punishment like it’s part of his job description-because, well, it kind of is.
Eriksson Ek doesn’t just screen goalies-he practically builds a house in the crease. That’s why it wasn’t surprising (but still concerning) when he took a stick to the face in Team Sweden’s Olympic opener.
He stayed in the game, but that moment was a gut-check for Wild fans. It’s exactly the kind of thing they worry about when their stars go to international tournaments.
The concern isn’t just hypothetical. Eriksson Ek has a track record of putting his body on the line-and paying the price.
He’s yet to play a full NHL season, and he’s already missed time this year. The Wild need him healthy for the playoff push.
Every shift he takes for Sweden is one more chance for something to go wrong, and fans are holding their breath.
Quinn Hughes: Playing Hurt, Playing for Gold
Then there’s Quinn Hughes, who’s quickly become a cornerstone for the Wild since his arrival. He’s the kind of player who changes the energy in a building when he touches the puck-smooth, smart, and always dangerous.
But Hughes entered the Olympics nursing a lower-body injury. That’s not ideal, especially considering how physical international play can get. And sure enough, in his first Olympic game, he took a few big hits that had fans wincing.
Hughes is representing Team USA alongside his brother, Jack, and you can tell it means a lot to him. But Wild fans are hoping he’s not sacrificing long-term health for short-term glory.
Like Eriksson Ek, Hughes has already missed time this season. Unlike Eriksson Ek, he’s played a full NHL season before-but just once.
The Wild are counting on him to be a difference-maker in the postseason. They need him at 100%, not 80% and grinding through pain.
Goaltending Duo on Duty
It’s not just the skaters. Minnesota’s goaltending tandem-Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt-is also in Italy, suiting up for Sweden. That’s a lot of key personnel logging high-intensity minutes in the middle of what’s already been a demanding NHL season.
And then there’s the injury history. Matt Boldy, Nico Sturm, Marcus Johansson-every one of them has missed time this year.
Add in Eriksson Ek and Hughes, and suddenly more than half of your Olympic-bound players have already dealt with injuries. That’s enough to make any fan a little anxious.
Jonas Brodin: A Hard Call, But the Right One
One player who made a different choice? Jonas Brodin.
The veteran defenseman was slated to play for Sweden but pulled out due to injury concerns. That couldn’t have been easy-this may have been his only shot at Olympic competition-but he put the Wild first.
It was a selfless move, and one that shows just how seriously this team is taking its playoff chances. Brodin knew he could either chase gold or give himself the best shot at helping Minnesota chase a Stanley Cup. He chose the latter, and that decision might end up being a pivotal one for the Wild’s postseason hopes.
It also gave Marcus Johansson a chance to step in for Sweden-another example of how these decisions ripple across both national and NHL rosters.
The Olympic Upside
Now, it’s not all doom and gloom. There’s real value in what these players are experiencing overseas.
Playing against the best in the world can elevate a player’s game. The pace, the pressure, the spotlight-it can sharpen instincts and build confidence.
And for certain guys, staying in rhythm by continuing to play rather than sitting idle can be a huge benefit.
These are high-character players who love the game and thrive on competition. If they come back healthy, the Wild could reap the rewards of that experience. The hope is that they return with new energy, maybe even a new gear, just in time for the stretch run.
Final Thoughts
So yes, Wild fans have every reason to be a little nervous. Eight players overseas.
A handful with recent or ongoing injury concerns. A postseason chase that will demand everything they’ve got.
But there’s also reason for optimism. These players are competing at the highest level, gaining valuable experience, and in some cases, making decisions that show just how much they believe in this team’s potential.
The Wild have a real shot to make noise in the playoffs. If their Olympic contingent comes back healthy-and maybe even a little sharper-they’ll be that much closer to making it happen.