The Minnesota Wild announced Saturday afternoon that nine of their regular roster members would not play tonight against the Washington Capitals due to either injury or COVID. That list includes Kirill Kaprizov, Jonas Brodin, Joel Eriksson Ek, Alex Goligoski, Jordan Greenway, Nick Bjugstad, Brandon Duhaime, Jared Spurgeon, and Cam Talbot.

The Capitals and Wild are set to do battle at 8 PM in the Xcel Energy Center.

The following #mnwild players will not play tonight: Nick Bjugstad (upper), Jonas Brodin (upper), Brandon Duhaime (COVID), Joel Eriksson Ek (upper), Alex Goligoski (COVID), Jordan Greenway (COVID), Kirill Kaprizov (upper), Jared Spurgeon (lower) and Cam Talbot (lower).

— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) January 8, 2022

The Wild will especially miss Kaprizov as the talented Russian playmaker is their current leading scorer with 40 points (14g, 26a) in 32 games. Kaprizov has yet to line up against Alex Ovechkin in his career and he won’t this time due to injury caused by a hit from Bruins forward Trent Frederic that Wild coach Dean Evason labeled “predatorial”.

Kirill Kaprizov heads to the @mnwild locker room after a hit from Trent Frederic. pic.twitter.com/bamIuwzpOJ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 7, 2022

Besides Kaprizov, Goligoski is the Wild’s current leading scorer (2g, 19a) from the blueline, Brodin is their top minutes eater (23:30 avg TOI per game), Spurgeon is the team’s captain, and Eriksson Ek is the center they rely on most to match other team’s top lines and power plays.

The Capitals will still be without Nicklas Backstrom and TJ Oshie as they did not make the road trip due to the flu. Other than those two being absent and the long-term injury Anthony Mantha is dealing with, the Caps are healthy.

Minnesota will bring a 20-10-2 record into the fray, good for 42 points and a tie for third in the Central Division with the Colorado Avalanche. They last played Thursday against the Bruins and came out 3-2 victors on the road.