The Minnesota Wild are heading into their Round 2 clash with the Colorado Avalanche, and they'll be doing it shorthanded—at least for the first two games. Key players Joel Eriksson Ek and Jonas Brodin are both sidelined, putting the Wild's depth to the test right out of the gate.

The series kicks off Sunday in Denver, with Game 2 following on Tuesday. After that, both teams will enjoy an unusual three-day breather before Game 3 lands at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul on Saturday. For Minnesota, that extra rest couldn't come at a better time, especially with injuries piling up.

Coach John Hynes confirmed that defenseman Jonas Brodin, a shutdown specialist, will miss the first two games after blocking a shot in Game 5 against Dallas. But the bigger blow might be the absence of second-line center Joel Eriksson Ek, who didn't even make the trip to Colorado. The best-case scenario? He could return for the home games next weekend.

"Ekky's a huge part of this team," Hynes said. "When you lose a guy who plays power play, penalty kill, and 5-on-5, you can't just plug one player in. It has to be a collective effort. Everyone steps up."

Eriksson Ek was a force in Round 1, posting three goals, two assists, and a plus-seven rating in six games. But he went down awkwardly in the third period of the clinching win over Dallas and looked to be laboring even after returning to finish the game. Now, he'll have at least nine days to rest and recover before a possible return.

"He's so competitive and does everything for us," said defenseman Quinn Hughes. "We'll miss him, but we're a deep team. We'll handle it as a committee."

The Avalanche, meanwhile, come in well-rested after sweeping the Los Angeles Kings in Round 1 and enjoying a six-day break. They'll be without defenseman Josh Manson for Game 1, but Colorado's depth is no secret.

For the Wild, the next few days are about survival. If they can weather the storm in Denver and get healthier for the home stretch, this series could shift in their favor. But for now, all eyes are on how Minnesota's "next man up" mentality holds up against one of the NHL's best.