SEATTLE — The good news for the Minnesota Wild is winger Marcus Foligno is back in the lineup. The bad news is winger Jordan Greenway has suffered a “setback” and will need some extra time to recover.
That means any hopes of reuniting the GREEF Line — Joel Eriksson Ek centering Greenway and Foligno — is on hold for at least a little while longer.
Asked about Greenway’s status moving forward, coach Dean Evason replied, “He is skating so it’s not as serious.” As for Foligno’s return, Evason seemed very excited about his presence in the hours leading up to Friday’s game against the Seattle Kraken.
“Yeah, obviously Moose is a big part of our identity,” Evason said. “He’s an assistant captain and leads in all areas on and off the ice. To have his presence, not only on the ice, but in the dressing room, will be a big boost for us.”
It has been a couple of weeks since Foligno last played. He suffered an upper-body injury in the early stages of this season and hasn’t felt like himself until now.
ADVERTISEMENT
“I feel really good,” said Foligno, whose last game came against the Red Wings on Oct. 29. “Just needed it to calm down. I was playing through it and it was hurting my game and hurting the team. Just needed to take some time away.”
The fact that Foligno stepped away speaks to his maturity. He understands that he’s not nearly as effective when he’s not at full strength. That isn’t always an easy thing to admit.
“It’s tough,” he said. “You’ve got to be healthy, and me not playing at 100% isn’t good for anyone on the team, including myself. Just needed to be patient. I feel 100% now.”
Beckman in
After making his season debut in Wednesday’s game against the Ducks in Anaheim, winger Adam Beckman is drawing back into the Wild lineup for Friday’s game against the Kraken. The coaching staff came away very impressed with how Beckman played a hard game while still showcasing his skill.
“We saw a very mature hockey player,” Evason said. “Someone that wasn’t just an offensive shooter. We saw him finishing his checks. We saw him providing us with energy. He played a real strong game in all three zones, so he’s going to go again tonight.”
In addition to Beckman, winger Joseph Cramarossa was also back in the lineup after scoring a goal the last time out. They both got called up from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League ahead of the Wild’s West Coast road trip.
Jost out
On the flip side of that, winger Tyson Jost has struggled to make an impact so far this season. He was a healthy scratch for Friday’s game.
Asked about the decision to sit Jost, Evason replied, “You’re probably seeing what we’re seeing a little bit. He’s got to find his game again.”
ADVERTISEMENT
______________________________________________________
This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here.
