Wild down 2 players for the Winter Classic.

The Minnesota Wild have been lucky when it comes to the massive outbreak of Covid around the National Hockey League, especially considering the fact that they have the Winter Classic coming up. In spite of the fact that they have avoided losing any players to the National Hockey League's Covid protocol list, it now appears as though the Wild will be down at least 2 players when they face off against the St. Louis Blues during the outdoor game.

Wild insider Mike Russo is reporting that both Wild captain Jared Spurgeon and centerman Joel Eriksson Ek are both expected to be on the sidelines when the big game arrives. The absence of Spurgeon will come as little surprise given that the Wild captain has been dealing with an injury that has cost him several games this season already. Spurgeon may have come back too quickly from that injury, because he re-aggravated it and it now appears he will remain out for some time.

Wild head coach Dean Evason was also able to confirm that Eriksson Ek's absence was not Covid related, which appears to indicate that the big hit he took a week ago from Dallas Stars defenseman Jani Hakanpaa is what is keeping him on the sidelines. Evason also appeared to hint at the fact that Eriksson Ek and Spurgeon may both be out for a while, but he did not go into any great detail.

"Neither one will play," said Evason as per Russo. "Both are not positive, not rosy outcomes, but as far as timeline and all of that, I don’t have a time frame. It’s disappointing for any player that can’t play. … It’s such a special atmosphere around the game, that unique feeling, that carnival-type of feeling. It’s just so exciting just going to the rink. It’s disappointing certainly for those two players. It’s disappointing for us. Two key players for our hockey club."

Many have been holding out hope that this will open the door for first round pick Marco Rossi to make his NHL debut, and what a debut that would be at the Winter Classic of all things, but there has so far been no indication that this will be the case. That being said Rossi has looked sharp in his first season in the American Hockey League, recording 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points in his first 18 games of the season.