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Eriksson Ek Back As Wild Hawks Renew Rivalry

January 21, 2022, 1:16 PM ET [2 Comments]
Dan Wallace
Minnesota Wild Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Finally we get a Wild Blackhawks game as these two long time Division foes square off tonight in Chicago. It has been nearly 2 years since the last time the team's met and a lot has changed since then.

The Wild have altered their roster quite significantly in hopes of taking the giant leap to contender status. For the Blackhawks. Their roster is going through the roster breakdown and rebuild process in hopes of returning to Stanley Cup contender as they had been perennially for the better part of the 2010s decade.

The two teams have gone about the roster transformation process in different fashion, but both have tried to accomplish it without a complete sell off. They have both tried to remain competitive while turning the roster over and parting with key veterans.

Gone are Koivu, Staal, Parise, Suter, and Dubnyk from the Wild roster and Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook, Andrew Shaw, Brandon Saad, and Corey Crawford are no longer with the Hawks.

Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are still leading the way for the Hawks, but Seth Jones and Marc-Andre Fleury were acquired via trade to solidify the defense and goaltending positions.

The rivalry has been pretty lopsided in Chicago's favor for much of the last decade including the three playoff series all won by the Blackhawks. The Wild did win the last meeting an overtime 3-2 victory back in early February 2020, but they had dropped the previous four to the Blackhawks

Joel Eriksson Ek will return to the lineup tonight as the Wild roster begins to get back to full strength. Jared Spurgeon is expected back tomorrow and possibly Cam Talbot as well.

With Eriksson Ek back and reunited with Marcus Foligno and Jordan Greenway it will give the Wild three legitimate scoring lines. Matt Boldy's addition to the 2nd line has provided the much needed complement to Kevin Fiala and taken some of the pressure off the Wild's top line.

The rivalry is being renewed, but now it is time for the Wild to take the upper hand...

It's always Hockey Day in The State of Hockey!
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