ST. PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Wild left wing Thomas Vanek will miss the start of the team's first-round playoff series with an upper-body injury he recently aggravated.
Interim coach John Torchetti said after practice Friday that Vanek will be out "more than a week." That means he'll likely miss at least two post-season games for the Wild, who have the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference and will play either Dallas or St. Louis.
Vanek was cross-checked March 29 by Chicago's Viktor Svedberg, and he has played in just one of four games since. Vanek skated briefly Thursday before leaving practice early.