Joel Eriksson Ek

Last updated

Joel Eriksson Ek
Joel Eriksson Ek (cropped) 2023.jpg
Eriksson Ek with the Minnesota Wild in 2023.
Born (1997-01-29) 29 January 1997 (age 27)
Karlstad, Sweden
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Minnesota Wild
Färjestad BK
National teamFlag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
NHL draft 20th overall, 2015
Minnesota Wild
Playing career 2014–present

Joel Eriksson Ek (last name sometimes stylized as Eriksson-Ek, born 29 January 1997) is a Swedish professional ice hockey centre for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Contents

Born and raised in Sweden, Eriksson Ek played junior hockey for Färjestad BK in the J18 Elit and J20 Nationell league. He made his professional debut as a teenager with Färjestad BK during the 2014–15 SHL season. Eriksson Ek earned praise from hockey pundits throughout the season and entered the draft as one of the highest ranked international skaters. He was ultimately taken 20th overall by the Wild in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He did not immediately join the Wild, instead returning to Sweden and recording 15 points during the 2015–16 SHL season.

Eriksson Ek made his NHL debut with the Wild during the 2016–17 season and later became the first teenager in franchise history to record three assists in one game. Known for his strong two-way play, Eriksson Ek has established himself as a reliable centreman for the Wild, contributing both offensively and defensively. Over the years, he has become known for his physicality, defensive prowess, and ability to contribute points. Starting during the 2019–20 season, Eriksson Ek began playing on a line with Jordan Greenway and Marcus Foligno, which was aptly referred to as the GREEF line. They consistently found success and were considered the Wild's top shutdown line before Greenway was traded.

Internationally, Eriksson Ek has represented his home country Sweden at both the junior and senior levels, winning gold once at the 2017 IIHF World Championship.

Personal life

Eriksson Ek was born on 29 January 1997, in Karlstad, Sweden, [1] to Clas Eriksson and Anna Ek. [2] He comes from a hockey playing family: his father Clas played with Färjestad BK for 13 seasons [3] and his brother Olle was taken by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. [2] Growing up, Eriksson Ek's favourite player was Peter Forsberg due to his playing skills as well as his dedication to the sport. [3]

Playing career

Sweden

Growing up in Sweden, Eriksson Ek played junior hockey for Färjestad BK in the J18 Elit and J20 Nationell league. He split the 2014–15 season between Färjestad BK's junior team in the J20 Nationell league and their senior team in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). [3] While playing in the SHL as a minor, Eriksson Ek attended Karlstad Fria Läroverk for his high school education. [4] Leading up to the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Eriksson Ek was ranked 22nd among all international skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau's mid-season ranking. [5] In the SHL, Eriksson Ek scored four goals and two assists for six points while he scored 21 goals and 32 points through 25 games for Farjestad’s junior team. [3] In the middle of his rookie season in the SHL, Eriksson Ek was extended on a first team contract for a further three years with Färjestad BK on 12 January 2015. [6] Eriksson Ek earned praise by hockey pundits throughout the season, entering the draft as the fourth-highest rated international skater. [7] Several hockey analysts theorized that Eriksson Ek would be chosen 19th overall by the Detroit Red Wings, becoming their first Swedish forward drafted in the first round. [8] [9] He was eventually drafted in the first round, 20th overall, by the Minnesota Wild [10] and signed to a three-year, entry-level contract worth $2.775 million. [11] Rather than start playing with the Wild at once, Eriksson Ek returned to Sweden for the 2015–16 season where he accumulated 15 points with Färjestad BK. [12]

Minnesota Wild

Following his second SHL season, Eriksson Ek attended the Wild's training camp ahead of the 2016–17 season, where he was paired with Jason Pominville and Jason Zucker. [13] He recorded one assist and 10 shots on goal through five preseason games before being re-assigned to the Wild's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Iowa Wild, to start the season. [14] Part of the reason for his assignment was due to Wild's salary cap issues and his immigration papers needing approval. As his immigration paperwork had yet to be approved, he was not expected to make his AHL debut immediately following the assignment. [15] He eventually made his debut with the Iowa Wild on 18 October against the Grand Rapids Griffins and scored his first goal with the team that night. He was recalled back to the NHL the following game. [14] Eriksson Ek made his NHL debut on 22 October 2016, against the New Jersey Devils, where he became the seventh rookie in franchise history to score his first career NHL goal in his debut game. Following the game, head coach Bruce Boudreau praised him for being a responsible player. [16] Over his first four games with the Wild, Eriksson Ek tallied four more points and became the first teenager in Wild history to record three assists in one game on 26 October. [17] [18] However, after his first four games, he would then go pointless in his next five. [17] After two games as a healthy scratch, Eriksson Ek was returned to Färjestad BK on 17 November, thus preserving all three years on his rookie contract. [19] Over 26 regular-season games with the Farjestad BK, Eriksson Ek recorded eight goals and eight assists for 16 points and added three goals and three assists for six points over seven SHL playoff games. On 28 March, Eriksson Ek returned to the Minnesota Wild for the remainder of the 2016–17 season. [20] Eriksson Ek stepped into a primarily bottom-six role upon rejoining the team [21] and finished the regular season with three goals and four assists for seven points over 15 games. [1] As the Wild qualified for the 2017 Stanley Cup playoffs, Eriksson Ek made his postseason debut during their first round series against the St. Louis Blues. [21] He made his debut in Game 1 of the series, where he registered three shots on goal in 11:04 minutes of ice time. [22] He went pointless over three games in the Stanley Cup playoffs [1] as the Blues eliminated the Wild in five games. [23]

During the 2017 offseason, Eriksson Ek trained alongside fellow Swedish NHL players Jonas Brodin, Oscar Klefbom, and Marcus Johansson while also adding 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of muscle. [24] USA Today listed Eriksson Ek as one of the top rookies to know for the 2017–18 season and a possible candidate to win the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year. [25] While participating in the NHL's Traverse City Prospects Tournament, Eriksson Ek suffered a mild injury that resulted in him missing the first few days of training camp. [26] He recovered in time to play in the Wild's opening night game against the Detroit Red Wings, where he immediately found chemistry on the third line with Marcus Foligno and Chris Stewart. The trio scored the team's first two goals of the season 48 seconds apart in the Wild's opening night game against the Detroit Red Wings. [27] His production slowed down over the next 10 games as he accumulated only three points while averaging nearly 14 minutes of ice time as the team's third-line centre. [28] After failing to improve on his three points in the first 20 games of the season, Eriksson Ek was re-assigned to the Iowa Wild on 21 November. [29] He recorded three goals and four assists for seven points over seven games with the Iowa Wild before being recalled back to the NHL on 6 December. [30] Over the month of December, Eriksson Ek was paired on a line with Daniel Winnik but continued his scoring struggles. [31] After only accumulating seven points over 42 games, Eriksson Ek was re-assigned to the AHL on 26 January. [32] He added one assist over one game with the Iowa Wild before returning to the NHL level three days later. [33] After going 50 games without a goal, Eriksson Ek broke his scoring drought in a 5–3 win over the New York Islanders on 19 February 2018. [34] Eriksson Ek finished the 2017–18 regular season with six goals and 10 assists for 16 points over 75 games. [1] During the Wild's first round 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs series against the Winnipeg Jets, Eriksson Ek was reunited with Foligno and Winnik on the fourth line. [35] He tallied his first career post season point, an assist off of Matt Dumba's second period goal, in Game 3 to help the Wild win 6–2. [36] However, this would prove to be his only point of the series [1] as the Wild were eliminated in six games. [37]

Prior to the start of the 2018–19 season, Eriksson Ek was expected to play on a line with Jordan Greenway and Charlie Coyle. [38] However, an early season lower-body injury kept him out of the lineup for six games starting on 11 October. [39] As Greenway had been reassigned to the AHL prior to Eriksson Ek's reactivation from injured reserve, his new linemate on the fourth line was Matt Read. [40] Upon returning from his injury, Eriksson Ek struggled to produce points and only accumulated one goal and three assists over 27 games. In an effort to help Eriksson Ek regain his confidence, head coach Boudreau re-assigned him to the Iowa Wild. [41] [42] Over his five-game stint in the AHL, Eriksson Ek recorded four goals and two assists for six points, including two power-play goals and two game-winning goals. He was recalled back to the NHL level on 8 January 2019. [43] Upon returning to the NHL, Eriksson Ek was partnered with forwards Kyle Rau and Landon Ferraro and earned time on the team's penalty kill as a replacement for Eric Fehr. [44] He added one goal and four assists over the following couple of games before being returned to the AHL in order to gain playing time during the NHL's mandated mid-winter break. [45] Upon returning to the NHL, Eriksson Ek formed an immediate connection with Luke Kunin whom he had played alongside in the AHL. [46] Over their first four games back in the NHL, Kunin tallied four points while Eriksson Ek tallied three and the two were routinely praised by head coach Boudreau. [47] However, their momentum stagnated after both Kunin and Eriksson Ek suffered injuries in March. [48] Eriksson Ek missed eight games before returning to the Wild lineup as a second-line center between Kunin and Greenway. [49] The trio of Eriksson Ek, Kunin, and Greenway were dubbed the GEEK square by the media as a result of their last name initials. [50] He finished the regular season with a career-high seven goals and 14 points through 58 games. On 21 August, Eriksson Ek signed a two-year, $2.975 million contract extension with the Wild as a restricted free agent. [51]

Despite the 2019–20 season being cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eriksson Ek set new career highs in goals and assists over 62 games. He tallied two goals and 10 assists for 12 points through the first 30 games of the season before suffering an upper-body injury during a game against the Philadelphia Flyers on 14 December. [52] [53] He missed four games to recover from the injury and scored the game-winning goal in his return on 23 December. [54] Although Eriksson was setting personal records, the Wild struggled to win games and eventually replaced head coach Bruce Boudreau with Dean Evason on 14 February. At the time, the Wild had a 27–23–7 record and were within three points of a wild-card spot for the 2020 Stanley Cup playoffs. [55] When the NHL paused play due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eriksson Ek had already set new career-highs with eight goals and 21 assists for 29 points over 62 games. [1] As the regular season was cancelled before its conclusion, the NHL implemented a Stanley Cup Qualifiers best-of-five tournament to determine which bottom four playoff teams advanced to the first round. [56] As the Wild were a 10th-seed team, they faced the 7th-seeded Vancouver Canucks in the qualifying tournament. [57] Eriksson Ek recorded his first career postseason goal in Game 4, although the Wild would be eliminated that game. [58]

Following the 2019–20 season, the Wild lost veteran centermen Mikko Koivu and Eric Staal, which resulted in Eriksson Ek stepping into a larger role as the team's first-line centre. [59] As the Wild's top centerman, Eriksson Ek started the season with three goals over five games and had goals in consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career. [60] Over the season, Eriksson Ek often played on a line with Greenway and Foligno, [61] which was nicknamed the GREEF line after their last names. [62] In February, the Wild postponed six games after numerous players contracted COVID-19. Eriksson Ek was on the league's COVID-19 protocol list from 3 February to 13 February. [63] At the end of his first season as the team's first line centre, Eriksson Ek improved his career-high goal total from eight to 19 while averaging a career-high 17 minutes per game. [59] His efforts in the regular season continued into the Wild's first round series against the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs. During Game 1, Eriksson Ek scored his second postseason goal, and first in overtime, to lift the Wild to a 1–0 win. [61] Although he injured his knee in Game 6, Eriksson Ek returned to finish the game. The Wild would be eliminated the following game in a 6–2 Game 7 loss. [64] On 2 July 2021, Eriksson Ek signed an eight-year, $42 million contract extension with the Wild. [65]

Eriksson Ek remained the Wild's top line centre for the 2021–22 season but swapped Foligno and Greenway for Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello. [66] On 20 October 2021, Eriksson Ek recorded his first career NHL hat-trick in a 6–5 win over the Winnipeg Jets. [67] His efforts helped the Wild start the season with a 5–3–0 record. [68] Although he suffered an injury on 20 December and recovered in mid-January, Eriksson Ek only missed three games due to game cancellations related to COVID-19 outbreaks. [69] However, his return was further delayed as he was entered into the league's COVID-19 protocol from 13 January to 19 January. [70] Once he was able to return to the Wild, Eriksson Ek was reunted with Foligno and Greenway on the Wild's top line. [71] The trio played an important role in the Wild's late season success as one of the NHL's top shutdown lines. [72] On 5 May, Eriksson Ek and Tyson Jost recorded goals 97 seconds apart to mark the second-fastest goals to start a game in franchise history as they led the Wild 5–1 over the Washington Capitals. [73] [74] This also marked Eriksson Ek's career-best 20th and 21st goals and his 12th point over 14 games. [75] However, he would soon experience a nine-game goalless drought that was broken with a two-goal, three-point game against the Seattle Kraken on 22 April. [76] Eriksson Ek finished the regular season with a career-high 26 goals and 23 assists for 49 points [1] as the Wild faced off against the St. Louis Blues in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. [77] Eriksson Ek played an integral role in the Wild's 6–2 win over the Blues in Game 2 as he scored two goals and added one assist. [78] He finished the series with a career-high three goals and two assists over six games and was one of only two Wild players to score over one goal. [79] His efforts were also recognized by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association as he placed seventh in Frank J. Selke Trophy voting as the NHL's best defensive forward. [80]

Injuries to Foligno and Greenway resulted in the GREEF line being split up for the first month of the 2022–23 season. [81] Although Eriksson Ek and Foligno started playing alongside winger Ryan Reaves in late-November, [82] the GREEF line was shortly thereafter reunited once Greenway was healthy. [81] Over the next eight games, Eriksson Ek accumulated four goals and seven assists for 11 points. [83] At the end of December, the Wild had maintained a 21–13–2 record and Eriksson Ek was one of only four Wild players with over 20 points on the season. [84] He then started the month of February with three goals and five points over a five-game point streak. [85] After blocking a shot during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on 6 April, Eriksson Ek missed the final four games of the regular season and the first two games of the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs. He returned for Game 3 against the Dallas Stars but was limited to only 19 seconds before being pulled. It was later revealed that he had suffered a fractured fibula and required surgery. [86]

Eriksson Ek began the 2023–24 season strong by tallying eight goals and 14 points to lead the team in scoring. [87] However, the Wild began the season with one of their worst starts in franchise history as they went 5–10–4 over their first 20 games. [88] On 10 November, during a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Eriksson Ek became the 11th player in franchise history to score 100 goals for the team. [87] Following the NHL All-Star Game break, Eriksson Ek was placed on the Wild's top line alongside Kaprizov and Matthew Boldy. By 15 February, Eriksson Ek had added five points over three games and the trio had combined for 17 points. [89] On 19 February, Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek scored hat tricks in the third period to lift the Wild 10–7 over the Vancouver Canucks. As a result of their hat-tricks, they helped set a new team record for most goals in a game and matched the franchise record for points in a game. [90]

International play

Medal record
Representing Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Germany/France
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2024 Czechia

Internationally, Eriksson Ek has represented his home country of Sweden at both the junior and senior levels. He first played with the Sweden men's national under-18 ice hockey team at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and 2014 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, although the team failed to medal both times. [3] Eriksson Ek tallied one goal during the U-17 Hockey Challenge and four points during the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament. [1] Before being drafted into the NHL, Eriksson Ek represented Sweden again at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he tallied five goals and six points over five games. He was also named Player of the Game on 23 April following Sweden's game against Team Canada. [91] Eriksson Ek was named captain of Team Sweden at the 2017 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, although they would place fourth after losing to Team Russia in the bronze medal game. [92] He finished the tournament ranked second on the team in scoring with six goals and three assists for nine points. [93] Later that year, he won gold for the first time at the 2017 IIHF World Championship. Over 10 games, Eriksson Ek recorded one goal and two assists for three points. [94]

Player profile

Described by Jeff Marek as an aggressive offensive threat, Eriksson Ek models his game after former NHL player Peter Forsberg. [95] After being drafted by the Wild, assistant general manager Brent Flahr cited his skills as a two-way player as the main reason for drafting him. [10] NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb described Eriksson Ek as someone with "great speed, a good strong shot and excellent puck-handling". [96]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2012–13 Färjestad BK J18 81124—————
2012–13Färjestad BKJ18 Allsv180556—————
2013–14Färjestad BKJ1819169258—————
2013–14Färjestad BKJ18 Allsv1469151452682
2013–14Färjestad BK J20 13224441122
2014–15Färjestad BKJ202521113220655106
2014–15 Färjestad BK SHL 34426430002
2015–16 Färjestad BKSHL4196151841012
2016–17 Iowa Wild AHL 11010—————
2016–17 Minnesota Wild NHL 15347430000
2016–17 Färjestad BKSHL2688161273360
2017–18 Minnesota WildNHL75610162250110
2017–18 Iowa WildAHL83588—————
2018–19 Minnesota WildNHL58771420—————
2018–19 Iowa WildAHL94598—————
2019–20 Minnesota WildNHL62821292241012
2020–21 Minnesota WildNHL551911302072132
2021–22 Minnesota WildNHL772623492863258
2022–23 Minnesota WildNHL782338614410000
2023–24 Minnesota WildNHL7730346460—————
SHL totals10121163734144374
NHL totals49612214827022026641012

Source: [1]

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014 Sweden U17 6th51010
2014 Sweden IH18 4th53140
2015 Sweden WJC18 8th55162
2017 Sweden WJC 4th76394
2017 Sweden WC Gold medal icon.svg101234
2024 SwedenWCBronze medal icon.svg1072910
Junior totals22155206
Senior totals20841214

Source: [1]

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References

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  28. ↑ Goff, Declan (3 November 2017). "Be patient with Joel Eriksson Ek, his potential is through-the-roof". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  29. ↑ "Minnesota Wild recalls forward Zack Mitchell from Iowa". National Hockey League. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  30. ↑ "Wild recalls forward Joel Eriksson Ek". National Hockey League. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  31. ↑ Peterson, Derek (29 December 2017). "Inside the Numbers: Joel Eriksson Ek is improving, so will the goals follow?". The Athletic. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  32. ↑ "Wild reassigns Eriksson Ek, Rau to Iowa". National Hockey League. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  33. ↑ "Wild recalls Eriksson Ek from Iowa". National Hockey League. 29 January 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  34. ↑ Myers, Dan (19 February 2018). "Eriksson Ek 'happiest guy in the country' after snapping goal drought". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  35. ↑ Myers, Dan (13 April 2018). "From the Rink: Wild's fourth line making big difference at a key time". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  36. ↑ "Wild ground Jets with 6-2 win to cut series deficit to 2-1". ESPN. 15 April 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  37. ↑ Jensen, Paul (18 July 2018). "Wild may turn to prospects under new GM Fenton". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  38. ↑ Myers, Dan (1 October 2018). "2018-19 Preview: Now healthy, Minnesota Wild aims for new heights". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  39. ↑ "Wild activate forward Eriksson Ek off injured reserve". Fox Sports. 27 October 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  40. ↑ Myers, Dan (26 October 2018). "Wild hopes weekend in Iowa can build Greenway's confidence". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  41. ↑ Mizutani, Dan (27 December 2018). "Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek headed to minors in search of confidence". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 28 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  42. ↑ "Wild assigns Eriksson Ek to Iowa". National Hockey League. 28 December 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  43. ↑ "Wild recalls Eriksson Ek, reassigns Murphy". National Hockey League. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  44. ↑ McLellan, Sarah (10 January 2019). "After Iowa stint, Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek is back, eager to contribute". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 11 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  45. ↑ "Wild re-assign forwards Kunin, Eriksson Ek during break". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. 24 January 2019. Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  46. ↑ McLellan, Sarah (16 February 2019). "Luke Kunin, Joel Eriksson Ek quietly form 1-2 punch for Wild". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 17 February 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  47. ↑ Myers, Dan (13 February 2019). "Kunin, Eriksson Ek are bright spots for Wild in otherwise tough stretch". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  48. ↑ Ervin, Paul (13 March 2019). "Wild Warmup: Minnesota vs. Dallas". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  49. ↑ Myers, Dan (29 March 2019). "From the Rink: Ek likely in, Parise questionable for Wild in Vegas". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  50. ↑ Mizutani, Dave (18 November 2019). "Wild's personal 'GEEK Squad' helping Minnesota fix problems". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  51. ↑ "Eriksson Ek signs two-year contract with Wild". National Hockey League. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  52. ↑ "Wild recalls forwards Luke Johnson and Nico Sturm, reassigns Kahkonen". National Hockey League. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  53. ↑ Myers, Dan (14 December 2019). "Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 4, Flyers 1". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  54. ↑ Myers, Dan (23 December 2019). "Young guys lead the way as Wild wraps pre-holiday schedule on a high note". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  55. ↑ Wyshynski, Greg (14 February 2020). "The fallout from the Minnesota Wild's firing of Bruce Boudreau, and what comes next". ESPN. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  56. ↑ Gulitti, Tom (13 July 2020). "NHL plans to return with 24 teams competing for Stanley Cup". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  57. ↑ Satriano, David (1 July 2020). "Wild training camp preview". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  58. ↑ Myers, Dan (8 August 2020). "Needing yet another OT hero, Wild comes up just short". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  59. 1 2 McLellan, Sarah (9 May 2021). "Joel Eriksson Ek at last emerges as a scorer Wild believed he could be". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 16 May 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  60. ↑ "Postgame Hat Trick: Wild 4, Sharks 1". National Hockey League. 22 January 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  61. 1 2 Myers, Dan (16 May 2021). "Eriksson Ek's breakout season continues in a big way in Game 1". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  62. ↑ Johnson, Randy (9 March 2022). "Wild's 'GREEF' line of Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno usually causes grief for opponents". Star Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  63. ↑ "Wild players on COVID-19 protocol list". National Hockey League. 21 February 2021. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  64. ↑ Myers, Dan (28 May 2021). "Postgame Hat Trick: Golden Knights 6, Wild 2". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  65. ↑ "Eriksson Ek signs eight-year, $42 million contract to remain with Wild". National Hockey League. 2 July 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  66. ↑ Russo, Michael (8 October 2021). "Armed with an eight-year deal, new haircut and new linemates, Joel Eriksson Ek still plays like 'a pain in the ass'". The Athletic . Archived from the original on 5 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  67. ↑ Pierce, Jessi (20 October 2021). "Eriksson Ek, Wild rally past Jets in OT". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  68. ↑ Gulitti, Tom (1 November 2021). "Wild proving resilient through injuries, COVID-19, coach says". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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  70. ↑ Mizutani, Dane (19 January 2022). "After a month off, Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek is finally ready to return". Twin Cities Pioneer Press. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  71. ↑ Myers, Dan (27 January 2022). "Wild's big boy line is making a big impact". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  72. ↑ Myers, Dan (5 May 2022). "Eriksson Ek does it all as Wild's clutch performer ... and resident pest". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  73. ↑ "Team Records: Fastest Two Goals, One Team, From Start of Game". National Hockey League. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  74. ↑ Valentine, Harvey (3 April 2022). "Eriksson Ek helps Wild defeat Capitals, gain in Central Division". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  75. ↑ "Eriksson Ek sets career high in goals, Wild top Capitals 5-1". ESPN. 3 April 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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  77. ↑ Myers, Dan (1 May 2022). "Wild and Blues meet once again as pursuit of a Stanley Cup begins". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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  79. ↑ Roarke, Shawn P. (13 May 2022). "Wild eliminated due to sputtering power play, little secondary scoring". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  80. ↑ "Bergeron of Bruins named Selke Trophy winner". National Hockey League. 5 June 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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  82. ↑ Pierce, Jessi (26 November 2022). "Reaves Adds 1,2 Punch". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  83. ↑ Pierce, Jessi (10 December 2022). "McDavid extends goal streak to seven in Oilers win against Wild". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  84. ↑ Weekes, Kevin (4 January 2023). "Pluses, minuses for Devils-Red Wings; Lightning-Wild". National Hockey League. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  85. ↑ "Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek: On five-game point streak". CBS Sports. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  86. ↑ "Wild's Joel Eriksson Ek tried to play vs. Stars with broken leg". ESPN. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  87. 1 2 Heckmann, Aaron (12 November 2023). "Eriksson Ek becomes 11th player to hit 100 goals in Wild history". The Hockey News. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  88. ↑ Nelson, Joe (26 November 2023). "Horrendous start to Wild's season continues with loss in Detroit". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  89. ↑ McLellan, Sarah (15 February 2024). "Wild's top line with Matt Boldy, Kirill Kaprizov and Joel Eriksson Ek has team on a roll". Star Tribune. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  90. ↑ Pierce, Jessi (19 February 2024). "Wild score 10 goals, including 7 in 3rd to rally past Canucks". National Hockey League. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  91. ↑ "2015 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship" (PDF). Sweden Hockey. 2015. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  92. ↑ "Bronze goes to Russia". IIHF. 5 January 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  93. ↑ "Eriksson Ek learns every day". IIHF. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
  94. ↑ Myers, Dan (21 May 2017). "Brodin, Eriksson Ek Win Gold at IIHF World Championship". National Hockey League. Retrieved 5 January 2024.
  95. ↑ Simmons, Jeff (18 June 2015). "Prospect of Interest: 411 on Joel Eriksson Ek". Sportsnet. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  96. ↑ "Joel Eriksson Ek Scouting Report". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 30 June 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
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