Already battered by injuries, the Minnesota Wild lost another body Thursday when veteran defenseman Olli Maatta was a late scratch with a lower-body injury ahead of a 3-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 32-year-old was scratched approximately 30 minutes before puck drop and is considered day-to-day.
Maatta joins goaltender Filip Gustavsson, forward Nick Foligno and defenseman Brock Faber on Minnesota's injured list. The Wild turned to David Spacek to fill the vacant spot in the lineup.
Maatta had appeared in all three of Minnesota's games this season before Thursday's setback. He has recorded one assist, three blocked shots and a minus-1 rating while averaging 21 minutes and 22 seconds of ice time per game. That workload ranked third on the team.
Meanwhile, Spacek made his season debut against the Lightning, appearing in just his third career NHL game. His previous two outings came in January 2026, when the 23-year-old averaged 10 minutes and 45 seconds of ice time without notching a point.
Article Continues BelowThe defenseman has spent the past three seasons with the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League. During the previous campaign, he accumulated seven goals and 36 points across 59 games. His preseason performance helped him secure a roster spot ahead of Carson Lambos.
Maatta's next opportunity to play will come on Saturday when the Wild face the Florida Panthers.