Hlavaj will join Slovakia for the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
Hlavaj outplayed Jesper Wallstedt at the AHL level and is expected to battle Wallstedt for the backup role behind Filip Gustavsson with the Wild in 2025-26 as Marc-Andre Fleury has retired. Hlavaj went 14-14-3 with a 2.85 GAA and a .904 save percentage across 36 regular-season appearances at AHL Iowa in 2024-25 and will gain extra experience with Slovakia and is expected to be their No. 1 goaltender as he will vie with Adam Huska and Patrik Rybar for the top job.
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Wild's David Spacek: Joining Czechia at Worlds
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Spacek will take part in the 2025 IIHF World Championship with Czechia.
Spacek has yet to make his NHL debut after two full seasons in the minors with AHL Iowa. During the 2024-25 campaign, the 22-year-old blueliner notched four goals and 27 helpers in 72 regular-season contests. With a strong performance at Worlds, Spacek could start building his case for a roster spot with Minnesota ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Undergoing surgery
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Eriksson Ek (abdomen) will have core muscle surgery this offseason but expects to be ready for the beginning of the 2025-26 campaign, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports Sunday.
Eriksson Ek had been playing through the injury during the first round of the postseason, and he sustained a broken nose in Game 2 of Minnesota's six-game series loss to Vegas. The 28-year-old forward accumulated 14 goals, 29 points, 140 shots on net and 82 hits across 46 regular-season appearances before adding three assists in six playoff outings.
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Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury: Makes retirement official
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Fleury announced his retirement from playing hockey Saturday, per NHL Alumni.
Fleury played 21 seasons in the NHL, winning three Stanley Cups. He finishes his career with 575 wins -- second all-time to Martin Brodeur -- a 2.60 GAA and a .912 save percentage across 1,051 regular-season appearances. Fleury started his career in Pittsburgh (where he won all three of his Cups) before moving on to Vegas, Chicago and Minnesota.
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Wild's Ryan Hartman: Lights lamp twice in loss
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Hartman scored two goals Thursday in the Wild's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 6 of their first-round series.
Minnesota's campaign came to an end with the loss, but not through lack of effort on Hartman's part. The veteran forward scored his first goals this postseason, beating Adin Hill late in the first and third periods, but none of his teammates could solve the Vegas netminder. Hartman had a surprisingly productive playoffs with six points in six games, but his 11 goals and 26 points in 69 regular-season contests better reflects his role and skill level.
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Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Falls to Knights in Game 6
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Gustavsson stopped 21 shots Thursday in the Wild's 3-2 loss to the Golden Knights in Game 6 of their first-round series.
After being unable to finish Game 5 due to an illness, Gustavsson was back between the pipes Thursday with Minnesota's season on the line, but he didn't get enough help from his defense to force a Game 7. The 26-year-old netminder re-established himself as the Wild's top option in the crease with a regular season that saw him record a career-high 31 wins, along with a 2.56 GAA and .914 save percentage in 58 outings. Gustavsson has one more year remaining on his current contract, worth $3.75 million.
Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Expected to start Thursday
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Gustavsson (illness) is set to start at home against Vegas for Game 6 on Thursday, per Michael Russo of The Athletic.
Gustavsson exited Game 5 due to the illness, but it seems he won't miss a full outing. He's 2-2 with a 2.63 GAA and a .919 save percentage across five starts in the Wild's first-round series. Minnesota needs a win Thursday to advance to Game 7 in Vegas on Saturday. The Golden Knights are likely to put plenty of pressure on Gustavsson in this potentially series-clinching game -- Vegas ranks third in the playoffs with 33.8 shots per game.
Gustavsson (illness) is likely to play at home versus the Golden Knights in Game 6 on Thursday after exiting Tuesday's Game 5 after two periods, Sarah McLellan of The Minnesota Star Tribune reports Wednesday.
Gustavsson has a 2-2 record, 2.63 GAA and .919 save percentage across five appearances in Minnesota's first-round series against Vegas. The Wild were down 2-1 when he exited Tuesday's game, and although Minnesota was able to tie things up, his replacement, Marc-Andre Fleury, conceded the deciding goal in overtime. That puts the Wild down 3-2 in the series, so they need a victory Thursday to force a Game 7 on Saturday.
Middleton posted an assist, two shots on goal, four hits and five blocked shots in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Middleton got on the scoresheet for the first time this postseason when he helped out on Matt Boldy's third-period tally. The 29-year-old Middleton is playing big minutes in a top-four role, but he's there for his shutdown skills rather than his offense. The blueliner has added six shots on net, 10 hits, 19 blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over five playoff games.
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Wild's Mats Zuccarello: Puts up power-play assist
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Zuccarello notched a power-play assist and four hits in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Zuccarello has three points over five playoff outings, including a helper in each of the last two games. The winger has added eight shots on net, nine hits and a minus-2 rating. Zuccarello continues to play on the second line and first power-play unit, giving him enough premium minutes to be an important scorer for the Wild.
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Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: Supplies two helpers
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Eriksson Ek notched two assists, two shots on goal and a minus-2 rating in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Eriksson Ek has three helpers over the last two contests after opening the series scoreless in three games. The 28-year-old has added 19 shots on net, eight hits, eight blocked shots and a plus-1 rating this postseason while skating in a top-line role. Eriksson Ek's all-situations usage should allow him to make a large impact now that the Wild are facing elimination in Thursday's Game 6.
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Wild's Matt Boldy: Tallies in Game 5 loss
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Boldy scored a goal on three shots in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Boldy's tally tied the contest at 2-2 early in the third period. The winger was held off the scoresheet in Game 4, but he's still racked up five goals, two assists, 15 shots on net, nine hits, four blocked shots and a plus-2 rating over five playoff outings. Boldy's spot on the top line looks secure, and the Wild will need him to keep making an impact on offense with their season on the line in Game 6 on Thursday.
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Wild's Kirill Kaprizov: Strikes on power play in loss
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Kaprizov scored a power-play goal on five shots, added two hits and went minus-2 in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Kaprizov has opened the playoffs with a five-game point streak, earning five goals and four assists. The 28-year-old provided a quick response to William Karlsson's opening tally Tuesday. Kaprizov will need to be at his best for the rest of this series, as the Wild are facing elimination in Thursday's Game 6.
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Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury: Takes overtime loss in relief
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Fleury stopped six of seven shots in relief of Filip Gustavsson (illness) in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime loss to the Golden Knights in Game 5.
Fleury wasn't tested much in the third period, but Brett Howden's one-timer got by him in overtime. It was a tough position for Fleury to come into, and now the Wild will face elimination when they play Game 6 at home Thursday. Fleury would start if Gustavsson remains under the weather for that contest.
Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Leaves game due to illness
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Gustavsson (illness) exited Tuesday's Game 5 versus the Golden Knights after two periods.
Gustavsson didn't look sick while in the crease, stopping 23 of 25 shots over the first two periods. However, he left the game with the Wild down by one. Marc-Andre Fleury took over between the pipes and would likely get the start Thursday in Minnesota if Gustavsson remains under the weather.
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Wild's Filip Gustavsson: Starting Game 5
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Gustavsson will start on the road in Tuesday's Game 5 versus the Golden Knights, Danny Webster of the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports.
Gustavsson made 42 saves on 46 shots in Saturday's overtime loss in Game 4, which left the series tied at 2-2. The 26-year-old allowed five goals on 58 shots over the first two games of the series in Vegas and has been fairly steady throughout the playoffs.
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