Wild's leading scorer Mats Zuccarello "week-to-week" with upper-body injury, team says
ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild forward Mats Zuccarello — who leads the team in points — is dealing with an upper-body injury and his status is "week-to-week," the team announced Tuesday.
Zuccarello missed his first game of the season in Monday's loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Before Tuesday's game, head coach John Hynes said Zuccarello's injury "was something that was kind of lingering a little bit, and he just got it checked out this morning. So that's the report we got."
Injury Update: Mats Zuccarello will not play tonight. He is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) December 19, 2023
MORE NEWS: Wild sign Mats Zuccarello to 2-year, $8.25M contract extension for top line security
The 36-year-old winger has been one of the Wild's bright spots this season and has played a huge role offensively.
The Wild will play three more games — the final one in that stretch is Saturday — before three consecutive days off for their holiday break.
Zuccarello's injury comes at a time when the team is also missing two crucial defenseman in captain Jared Spurgeon (lower body injury) and Jonas Brodin (upper body injury).
Winger Vinni Lettieri replaced Zuccarello in the team's lineup and scored his third goal of the season in Monday's game.
Lettieri is once again playing in Zuccarello's absence Tuesday night.
Puck drop in Boston is 6 p.m.