IMPACT: Minnesota Wild’s Joel Eriksson Ek DELIVERS Elite Defense—Does His Slumping Offense Matter?

Minnesota Wild’s defensive powerhouse Joel Eriksson Ek is locking down the NHL’s elite centers—Nathan McKinnon, Connor Bedard, and Sidney Crosby all see their expected goals plummet when matched up against him. His offense may be slower to ignite this season, but his defensive metrics and faceoff dominance are reaching career highs. Can Eriksson Ek’s shutdown ability push him into serious Selke Trophy contention? Seth Toupal spotlights Eriksson Ek’s evolving role, analyzes line combinations with Matt Boldy and Marcus Johansson, and uncovers how improved special teams are reviving the Wild’s penalty kill. The discussion covers high-danger scoring chances, missed shot percentages, and the impact of Johansson’s offensive surge. As Minnesota braces for a pivotal clash against the Dallas Stars, questions loom about the offense finding its rhythm and Eriksson Ek cementing his legacy as the NHL’s top defensive forward. Everydayer Club: If you never miss an episode, it’s time to make it official. Join the Locked On Everydayer Club and get ad-free audio, access to our members-only Discord, and more — all built for our most loyal fans. Click here to learn more and join your team’s community: https://lockedonwild.supercast.com/ Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: Locked On Wild Follow/Subscribe Anywhere: https://linktr.ee/LockedOnWild Follow Locked On NHL: linktr.ee/lockedonNHL Join our Discord Server: https://discord.gg/ZAB6yyck Have a Question for the Show or a Topic you want Covered? Email lockedonwild@gmail.com For your next listen, check out the Locked On NHL podcast , where the season never ends providing national expertise with a local perspective. Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! DripDrop - Right now, DripDrop is offering podcast listeners 20% off your first order. Go to https://dripdrop.com and use promo code LOCKEDONNHL. Indeed - Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/lockedon right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Gametime - Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNHL for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. Monarch - Take control of your finances with Monarch. Use code LOCKEDONNHL at https://monarch.com/lockedonnhl for 50% off your first year. FanDuel - Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Right now, new FanDuel customers can get TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins! FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.