Joel Eriksson Ek is unequivocally the most important player on the Minnesota Wild because he can do anything they need him to do. He takes the tough faceoffs, screens the goalie well, and scores goals. He is the first over the boards for power plays, penalty kills, and overtime. And best of all, he is still getting better every single season.
Last Season
Ek managed to stay somewhat healthy enough to play the majority of the season. In 77 games, he put up 64 points (30 goals and 34 assists). He scored a hat trick along with three assists during the strange 10-7 game against the Vancouver Canucks. And while the +/- stat doesn’t always mean much, Ek managed to have a +18 despite the terrible season as a whole.
Strengths
Let’s think back to the playoffs two years ago when Ek tried to return to the ice with a broken leg. While that is a terrible idea, it shows his drive. He is selfless when it comes to winning games, sometimes to his own detriment. That may also be why Ek has improved his stats every single season. His point total along with his point-per-game average has increased every single year. (His point-per-game average was a bit of a fluke his first season. He only played 15 games that season, so it was skewed.) His faceoff has slowly climbed to just below 50% last season, with it improving every season. Even his penalty minutes jumped to 60 last season, whereas his previous high was 44 minutes.
Weaknesses
His incredible drive can also be his downfall, however. Ek seems to spend a significant amount of time battling injuries and it can affect his play. As a player that opponents hate to see on the ice and screening their goalie, they seem to always have a little bit more power when they’re coming up against Ek.
One other weakness, which is more on the team than they are on Ek, is how dependent the team is on him. The moment when Wild fans lost faith in the team during the last two playoff series was the moment that Ek was knocked out of the game. Three seasons ago, Ek was knocked out of the game by a friendly-fire high-sticking during a crucial Game 6. The St. Louis Blues ended up winning that game 5-1. Could there have been a different outcome if Ek was in the entire game? Fans will never know. The next season was the playoff series where Ek tried to play with a broken leg. Once again, the Wild gave a good push but were unable to win the series.
Next Season
Last season, Ek centered a powerhouse line with Kirill Kaprizov on one side and Matt Boldy on the other. Hopefully, Head Coach John Hynes will reunite this as the top line. Each player brings something powerful. Ek has been improving on the faceoff dot and he’s incredible at screening the goalie and tipping in shots. His strong defensive skills help take the heat off of Boldy and Kaprizov. Judging by his usual pattern, Ek will most likely have yet another career year
