The Minnesota Wild announced Wednesday that they have recalled defenseman Justin Falk from the Iowa Wild.
.@TOTALLUXURYLIMO I-35 Report: #mnwild recalls Falk from @iawild → http://t.co/dB0ha6AAwL
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) December 10, 2014
Falk will join the team as they embark upon a west coast road trip starting in stormy San Jose on Thursday, followed by games in Glendale, Arizona against the Coyotes and in Chicago against the Blackhawks.
Falk has a goal and three assists, as well as a minus-6 rating and 24 penalty minutes through 18 games with the Iowa Wild this season. He’s joined the NHL Wild for three games this season and currently has no points, two shots, and an average of 8:29 of ice time per game.
Falk is getting recalled with Keith Ballard not joining the team for the road trip after being run into the boards face first by the New York Islanders’ Matt Martin. Ballard, according to the team Twitter, is resting at Regions Hospital following the hit. Martin will not receive supplemental discipline for the hit.
#mnwild Keith Ballard is conscious and has been taken to @RegionsHospital for further evaluation and observation. #NHL #isles
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) December 10, 2014
The Wild will also likely be without defenseman Marco Scandella, who will have a hearing the with Department of Player Safety on Wednesday evening after he was penalized for an illegal check to the head of the Islanders’ Brock Nelson. Scandella is likely to receive a suspension for the hit, especially considering it’s just been ten days since he was fined for an illegal check to the head.
If the Wild are without both Scandella and Ballard on Thursday — which is likely — the team would need to insert both Falk and Christian Folin, who was inexplicably a healthy scratch against the Islanders while both Nate Prosser and Ballard suited up.
With Scandella and Ballard potentially out, it’s possible (though not necessary) that the Wild could recall even one more defenseman. Mathew Dumba has been playing very well since being sent down to Iowa. Though the team may be apprehensive to do that since he’s playing well and has only been in the AHL for three games (over which he has two goals and an assist). The Wild sent Dumba down to get good ice time, gain some confidence, and to find his scoring touch. If his ice time will be limited at the NHL level, or if he could potentially be scratched, it hampers the team’s goals with Dumba this season.
Look for Falk to draw into the lineup for his fourth game of the season on Thursday against San Jose.