The Minnesota Wild got a much-needed boost on Sunday as forwards Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek participated in a full team practice. This marks the first time Kaprizov has been on the ice for a full team practice since January, while Eriksson Ek had not participated since the team's return from the 4 Nations tournament at the end of February. Both players are expected to travel with the team for their upcoming road trip but will not play.

Kaprizov, 27, had surgery for a lower-body injury in January and resumed skating on March 27. At the time of his injury, Kaprizov was the Wild's leading scorer with 23 goals and 52 points in 37 games. Eriksson Ek, 28, has missed the last 17 games with an undisclosed injury and has 24 points in 42 games this season. The return of these two players could provide a significant spark for the Wild's offense, which has been inconsistent throughout the season.

The Wild are currently tied with the St. Louis Blues for the first wild-card spot in the West with 87 points and have one game in hand. They are six points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks and seven points up on the Calgary Flames. A healthy Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek would be a significant boost to the team's playoff hopes, providing a much-needed injection of offense and defense. With the playoffs just around the corner, the Wild will be looking to capitalize on the return of their star players to make a deep run in the postseason.