For Immediate Release Contacts: Aaron Sickman (651) 602-6009 Thursday, Jan. 25, 2018 Carly Peters (651) 602-6034 Megan Kogut (651) 312-3439

MINNESOTA WILD REASSIGNS JOEL ERIKSSON EK AND TO IOWA

SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher today announced the (NHL) club has reassigned forwards Joel Eriksson Ek (pronounced JUHL AIR-ihk-suhn EHK) and Kyle Rau to the of the (AHL).

Eriksson Ek, 20 (1/29/97), has tallied seven points (1-6=7) and 14 penalty minutes (PIM) in 42 games with Minnesota this season while averaging 13:14 TOI/game. The 6-foot-1, 206-pound native of Karlstad, Sweden, has also totaled seven points (3-4=7) in seven games with Iowa this season. He owns 14 points (4-10=14) and 18 PIM in 57 career NHL games with the Wild. Eriksson Ek was originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (20th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Rau, 25 (10/24/92), has tallied one assist in three games with Minnesota since being recalled from Iowa on Jan. 19. He made his club debut in a 5-2 victory vs. Tampa Bay on Jan. 20 – becoming the 24th Minnesota native (22nd skater) to play in a regular-season game with Minnesota all-time. The 5-foot-8, 176-pound native of Eden Prairie, Minn., has also totaled 21 points (11-10=21) and six PIM in 36 games with Iowa this season. He’s totaled four points (2-2=4) and six PIM in 36 career NHL games with Florida and Minnesota. Rau agreed to a one-year, two- way contract with Minnesota on July 1, 2017 and was originally selected by Florida in the third round (91st overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft at .

Minnesota heads to the NHL All-Star Break, with forward Eric Staal representing the Wild this weekend in Tampa – his fifth career NHL All-Star Game and first with Minnesota. Staal will take part in the 2018 NHL All- Star Skills Competition Saturday at 6 p.m. CT on NBCSN and the 2018 NHL All-Star Game Sunday at 2:30 p.m. CT on NBC. The Wild returns to play Tuesday in Columbus at 6 p.m. CT on FOX Sports North and KFAN 100.3 F.M.

Tickets remain for the game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday, Feb. 2 at ticketmaster.com or the Xcel Energy Center Box Office. For information about Minnesota Wild Season Tickets or to join the Wild Warming House, the only way to secure priority access to future season tickets, visit tickets.wild.com or contact a Wild Ticket Sales Representative at 651-222-WILD.

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