Jan 1: The Wild were hoping Brodin would be able to test out of the protocol given the league’s reduced isolation period, but Michael Russo of The Athletic reports that the veteran defenseman will miss the Winter Classic. Addison has been officially recalled and is expected to play in Brodin’s place.
Dec 28: The Minnesota Wild already ruled out Jared Spurgeon and Joel Eriksson Ek for the upcoming Winter Classic, and now appear to be losing another one of their best players. Jonas Brodin will not practice with the team today due to the league’s COVID protocol.
If Brodin is held out–a confirmed positive with symptoms would keep him out a minimum of ten days, while an asymptomatic case would need two negative tests 24 hours apart–it’s another huge loss for the Wild and the fans that will be at Target Field in just a few days. The hope at this point will be that no other key Minnesota players are pulled from the lineup between now and Saturday, as this game isn’t exactly one that can be rescheduled for later in the season.
The 28-year-old defenseman is an absolute horse for the Wild, logging huge minutes every night and playing some of the best two-way hockey in the league. While his 14 points in 28 games don’t immediately jump off the page, Brodin is the anchor that drives a Minnesota transition game that can strike extremely quickly. His smooth skating and quick defensive stick constantly disrupt plays before the opposition even gets a chance at the net, and his ability to escape forecheckers results in easy breakouts for the Wild.
Now, without Brodin or Spurgeon in the lineup, a lot of pressure will be placed on Matt Dumba and veteran Alex Goligoski for Saturday’s game. The team also may decide to recall some youngsters, giving someone like Calen Addison a chance to play on the national stage.