The Minnesota Wild lost more than a close game to the Florida Panthers on Saturday night. The team also lost team captain and defenseman Jared Spurgeon to a lower-body injury in the first period.
With Spurgeon sidelined, the Minnesota Wild have called up Calen Addison to add to the defensive corps ahead of Sunday afternoon’s matchup with Tampa Bay.
Addison has appeared in two games with the Wild in late October and has one goal. He also played in three regular-season games, and three playoff games with Minnesota last season.
He has six assists in 10 games in Iowa so far this year.
The #mnwild recalled defenseman Calen Addison from the @IAWild today. He has recorded six assists and 28 shots on goal in 10 games with Iowa this season. https://t.co/PIX48lHL6f pic.twitter.com/60JsytEpuu
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) November 21, 2021
This is the Wild’s first matchup with the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions since Jan. 6, 2020. Minnesota carries a five-game winning streak against the Lightning into Sunday afternoon and has earned at least a point in 10 of the last 13 matchups between the two franchises.
Minnesota ends its three-game road trip on Wednesday at New Jersey.
“It was a physical game”
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) November 21, 2021
Hear from players and coach Evason after tonight’s game in Florida » https://t.co/OnN5FHPJf2 pic.twitter.com/oUlxA1angy
Fiala in the Wild’s doghouse?
Wild forward Kevin Fiala has got off to a rough start this season with just two goals and 10 points in seven games this season. He didn’t get much ice time in the final period of the Wild’s win over Dallas on Thursday and was not on the team’s power-play units during the third period on Saturday.
Could it be a sign that Fiala’s days might be numbered in Minnesota?
Michael Russo of The Athletic touched on the subject in this coverage from the loss to the Panthers.
Russo wrote:
"Knowing how tight the Wild’s cap situation is over the next three years after buying out Zach Parise and Ryan Suter, and with it being so clear that there’s friction building between the player and team, it’s hard to see Fiala being long for this organization.He’s a pending restricted free agent with the right to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. If the Wild can’t afford him or just don’t want to afford him or commit to him, it’s very possible he’ll be traded, perhaps even soon because he’s not playing well and things are getting visibly uncomfortable between him and Evason."
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Betting odds
The Wild vs. Lightning odds on WynnBET has Tampa Bay as a 1.5 goal favorite at home. The Lightning are listed as -143 favorites on the moneyline, while Minnesota is the underdog at +128. The total goals is set at an over/under of six.
Upcoming Wild schedule
Wednesday, Nov. 20: @New Jersey, 6 p.m. CST
Friday, Nov. 26: Winnipeg, 2:30 p.m. CST
Sunday, Nov. 28: Tampa Bay, 1 p.m. CST