Wild captain Koivu ready to play after hospital stay
Minnesota Wild captain Mikko Koivu told reporters that he expects to return to the lineup versus the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday, just two days removed from a brief stay in the hospital.
Koivu lost his edge while tangling with Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman David Savard and crashed into the end boards in the first period of Minnesota's 4-2 win on Tuesday. The 32-year-old Finn, who was released from the hospital later that night, participated in the morning practice on Thursday.
Lines from morning skate Parise-Koivu-Zucker Niederreiter-Granlund-Pominville Vanek-Haula-Coyle Porter-Stoll-Carter pic.twitter.com/LWxVSeafkN
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 7, 2016
Via the Minnesota Wild's official Twitter account:
"I'm ready to play and get back at it."
While Koivu has declared himself ready, Mike Yeo stopped short of doing the same as the coach did not publicly divulge if the veteran would be in the lineup when Minnesota (21-11-7) hosts Philadelphia (16-15-7).
Yeo on Koivu: "He feels well. So that's good news." #mnwild
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 7, 2016
Koivu has collected a team-high 32 points (10 goals, 22 assists) and has won 55.9 percent of his faceoffs this season. The sixth overall pick of the 2001 draft, Koivu has scored 154 goals and set up 378 others in 720 career contests - all with the Wild.
