Overview
- The team designated both injuries as upper body, with local reporting describing Zuccarello’s issue as likely facial after a hit by Seattle’s Vince Dunn and no firm timeline issued for Middleton.
- Minnesota recalled Nicolas Aubé-Kubel and Matt Kiersted from AHL Iowa, and both were expected to sit as healthy scratches for Thursday’s home game against Dallas.
- The placements are retroactive to Dec. 8, setting Dec. 16 vs. Washington as the earliest date either player can be activated.
- Defenseman Daemon Hunt is slated to step in alongside Jared Spurgeon, while Ben Jones and Tyler Pitlick return to the lineup and Vladimir Tarasenko moves up with Kirill Kaprizov and Danila Yurov.
- Middleton’s absence affects the second pair and penalty kill where he logs over 18 minutes per game, and Zuccarello has produced 12 points in 15 games since his recent return.