As the Wild took the ice for warmups on Saturday night at Xcel Energy Center, center Joel Eriksson Ek was conspicuously absent while his teammates filed out of the tunnel.

The surprise absence came roughly 24 hours after head coach John Hynes said Eriksson Ek missed practice for maintenance.

It’s being classified as a lower-body injury for Eriksson Ek. He played 19 minutes, 6 seconds in the win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center and didn’t appear to show signs of being injured.

The loss of Eriksson Ek put the Wild in a tough spot against the New York Islanders. They didn’t have an extra forward on the roster, so defenseman Jon Merrill was thrust into the lineup as an extra body on the blue line.

Eriksson Ek missed 11 games with a lower-body injury a couple of months ago, although it’s unclear if this particular absence is related in any way. It’s been a struggle for Eriksson Ek this season by his standards. He only has 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in 41 games.

4 Nations Face-Off

The fact that Eriksson Ek missed the final game before the 4 Nations Face-Off isn’t a good sign for him getting to represent Team Sweden next week. He was supposed to play alongside Wild teammates Jonas Brodin and Filip Gustavsson.

Meanwhile, winger Matt Boldy and defenseman Brock Faber are set to represent Team USA in the 4 Nations Face Off. What does Faber expect to get out of the experience?

“I hope to win it all,” he said. “That’s the goal.”

No matter what happens during the 4 Nations Face Off, as soon as it’s over, the Wild will reconvene with a different goal in mind.

“It’s going to be a good mental break for all of us to get away from the rink here,” Faber said. “We’ve got a lot of home games in March, so trying to make that push to really solidify a spot in the playoffs.”

Hinostroza gets another look

After playing a starring role in his Wild debut, winger Vinnie Hinostroza was back in the lineup against the Islanders playing alongside Freddy Gaudreau and opposite winger Marcus Johansson.

Asked about Hinostroza, Hynes referenced the times he has coached against him.

“You notice the speed and tenaciousness,” Hynes said. “That’s what jumps out.”

There’s also more to Hinostroza’s game, which Hynes got to see firsthand earlier this week, when he scored a goal in a 2-1 victory over Carolina.

“He has the ability to make plays,” Hynes said. “He’s got good hands and can shoot the puck.”

The praise didn’t end there.

“Just the character of the player,” Hynes said. “He’s a hard-working kid. He’s a great teammate. He’s been really well liked and respected wherever he’s played.”