Kirill Kaprizov’s monthlong layoff is over. The Wild’s leading scorer and captain Jared Spurgeon will be back in action Thursday when the Wild face Utah Hockey Club at Xcel Energy Center. Both practiced Wednesday at Tria Rink in St.

The Minnesota Wild are trying to stay afloat near the top of the West, a mission that will be easier if Kirill Kaprizov and Jared Spurgeon return Thursday, as expected.

One of the players, Kirill Kaprizov, is the leading scorer on the Wild. The other, Jared Spurgeon, is the team captain and a respected leader in the dressing room."It's exciting," Eriksson Ek said. "Two very important players for us. It's fun to have them back out there."

David’s come in and I think he’s really shown some of his very good attributes,” John Hynes said, with a nod to Jiricek’s imposing 6-foot-3 frame. “You can’t teach size.”

It has been two months since we did a Wild mailbag and several months since we did an ‘Ask Russo and Smith’ mailbag, but with Joe back on the clock, there’s no better time to answer many of your questions.

The Utah Hockey Club (19-19-7) recorded a crucial 4-2 win against the St. Louis Blues at Delta Center on Saturday to remain in the thick of the Western Conference wild card race, but the week ahead provides no relief.

Linus Ullmark traveled with the Senators for their three-game road trip that begins Sunday at the New Jersey Devils (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, RDS, TSN5, MSGSN). "He's coming on the road. ... We're still day by day,” coach Travis Green said of Ullmark following a 6-5 shootout win against the Boston Bruins on Saturday.

Filip Forsberg had two goals and two assists as the Nashville Predators won their third straight, beating the Minnesota Wild 6-2 at Bridgestone Arena.

Brock Faber returned for the Minnesota Wild against the Nashville Predators on Saturday night after missing four games because of injury.Faber last played Jan. 7, when he left early in a 6-4 victory over the St.

Not since the preseason have the Wild had a practice as crowded as the session they held Friday at Tria Rink in St. Paul. “Felt nice,” alternate captain Marcus Foligno said. “Got a bit of a break.” But when it came time to leave for a road trip to Nashville and Colorado,

I’m excited. I feel good. It obviously sucks being hurt. First time in a really long time that I’ve had to miss games,” said Brock Faber, who suffered an upper body injury early in a Jan. 7 home

Kaprizov has missed the past 10 games with a lower-body injury that has required lots of treatments and pushed-back timetables.