Minnesota Wild forward Mats Zuccarello is expected to miss 3-4 weeks after undergoing surgery Thursday night for a lower-body injury, per multiple reports.
Zuccarello exited at 12:52 of the first period in Thursday's 3-0 win against Montreal after being hit in the midsection by a shot from teammate Brock Faber.
The team placed the 37-year-old veteran on injured reserve Friday.
"Zuccy's such an important part of the team," Wild coach John Hynes said Friday. "I've really enjoyed coaching him. He's a veteran player, he's an extreme competitor, he's got great hockey sense and his value on the power play.
"Obviously (there is) his chemistry with Kirill (left wing Kirill Kaprizov), but to me the way he's come in this year and he's played, he's a real key guy," Hynes continued. ""But, that being said, he's played a long time, too, and I know when he comes back he's going to be back to where he is."
Zuccarello is tied for third on the team with 14 points (six goals, eight assists) through 16 games this season, his 15th in the NHL. He has 650 points (204 goals, 446 assists) in 851 career games with the New York Rangers, Dallas Stars and Wild.
