Joel Eriksson Ek

Joel Eriksson Ek

28-Year-Old CenterC
Minnesota Wild
2024 Fantasy Outlook
Eriksson Ek is a strong two-way center who doesn't quite play at an elite level but helps in a variety of ways. He finished 2023-24 with 30 goals and 64 points across 77 contests. It was his third straight campaign with over 200 shots, and he ranked 23rd in that category last season with a career-high 267. He also plays with a physical edge, accumulating 60 PIM and 169 hits. He even blocked 55 shots last season, which isn't a ton, but it was still good enough to put him in an eight-way tie for 60th among forwards. Still just 27 years old, Eriksson Ek looks like a good bet to provide that level of grit and skill for years to come, which in turn makes it reasonable to expect similar results to his 2023-24 showing. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed an eight-year, $42 million contract extension with the Wild in July of 2021.
Clutch goal at 4 Nations Face Off
CMinnesota Wild
February 12, 2025
Eriksson Ek scored a goal Thursday in a 4-3 overtime loss to Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
ANALYSIS
Eriksson Ek roofed the puck into the net after settled a cross-crease pass from Jesper Bratt around the midpoint of the third period. It tied the game and forced overtime. He came into the contest on a four-game point drought. Eriksson Ek's production this year has been held back by injury -- he has just nine goals and 14 assists in 41 games, a far cry from his two 60-plus point campaigns in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
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NHL Stats
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2024–25 Time On Ice Stats
  • Average Time On Ice:
    19:40
  • Average Power Play TOI:
    3:03
  • Average Short-Handed TOI:
    1:52
 
Ice Time
Power Play
Short-Handed
2022–23
19:00
3:24
2:04
2023–24
20:32
3:53
2:25
2024–25
19:40
3:03
1:52
Wild Depth Chart
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Wild Power Play Depth Chart
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Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Joel Eriksson Ek See More
Best 4 Nations Face-Off Bets Today: Expert Picks for Monday, February 17
2 days ago
It's all on the line for Canada heading into a clash with Finland on Monday while the USA faces Sweden in the night cap. RotoWire's Dan Dobish offers his best bets, parlay plays and expert picks.
The Week Ahead: At the Break
3 days ago
Artemi Panarin has 23 goals and 57 points this season. Michael Finewax previews the week ahead in the NHL.
Best 4 Nations Face-Off Bets Today: Expert Picks for Saturday, February 15
4 days ago
Nathan MacKinnon and Team Canada face off against Team USA in 4-Nations puck action today. Daniel Dobish shares his expert 4 Nations Face-Off picks and predictions for today's tournament play.
4 Nations Face-Off DFS: DraftKings Plays and Strategy for Saturday, February 15
5 days ago
Filip Gustavsson is one of the top goaltending options for Saturday's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in DraftKings DFS contests.
4 Nations Face-Off Pick'Em Today: Best Plays on PrizePicks for Wednesday, Feb. 12
7 days ago
4 Nations Face-Off player props and expert plays for PrizePicks courtesy of RotoWire's AJ Scholz ahead of Wednesday's Canada vs. Sweden matchup.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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2015
Eriksson Ek pocketed 23 goals and a career-high 61 points during the 2022-23 campaign. It was the first time he recorded at least 50 points in his seven-year NHL career. The 26-year-old center set a few other career highs, including average ice time (19:00), shots on goals (247) and blocked shots (55). He suffered a broken leg in the postseason but isn't expecting to miss any time to begin 2023-24. Eriksson Ek notched 23 power-play points and has buried 24 goals with the man advantage over the last two years. He'll enter next season as Minnesota's second-line center with a spot on the top power-play unit; he should have no trouble turning in his third straight 20-goal performance.
In the first of a new eight-year, $7 million AAV contract which seemed like an overpay at the time, Eriksson Ek rewarded Minnesota's faith in him by posting new high-water marks in both goals (26) and points (49). His 223 shots on goal were nearly 100 more than he had in any prior year, while Eriksson Ek saw a massive bump in power-play usage, averaging 2:59 per game after seeing just 1:11 worth of time per contest in 2020-21. Eriksson Ek probably isn't a top-six offensive talent on a true Stanley Cup contender, but a good portion of fantasy value is determined by a player's usage and the Wild are clearly infatuated with their 2015 first-rounder. A repeat performance from Eriksson Ek is well within the range of potential outcomes.
Eriksson Ek was drafted 20th overall in 2015 as a defensive-minded center. He filled that role over the course of his first three NHL seasons, never scoring more than eight goals. That number jumped to 20 tallies in 2020-21 and the Wild, clearly believing in what they saw, responded by giving Eriksson Ek a new eight-year, $42 million extension. It's a risky proposition given Eriksson Ek shooting percentage was 16.0 a year ago. His best number in that department in his first three years was just 7.8 percent. On a positive note, Eriksson Ek's power-play production should rebound this coming year. He saw 1:11 worth of time with the man advantage per game this past season, posting no goals and two assists. All told, the 24-year-old Swede makes for a depth option in fantasy pools, with a slight bump in leagues that value hits.
Eriksson Ek took a leap forward in 2019-20, doubling his previous year's scoring output from 14 to 29 points. The Swede also added 93 hits, 102 shots on goal and a plus-7 rating in 62 contests last season. Last season's performance represented the first time Eriksson Ek has been able to show why the Wild were willing to invest the 20th overall pick to acquire him in 2015. A larger role -- 15:43 per game compared to 13:30 the year before -- contributed to Eriksson Ek's improvement. Heading into 2020-21, the expectation is he'll be able to maintain a top-six role, which should enable him to approach a 30-point pace. His all-situations usage and solid physical game make Eriksson Ek a useful depth option for fantasy managers.
The 20th-overall pick from 2015 didn't play produce much last year, putting up seven goals and 14 points in 59 games, but he still showed the two-way game that makes him the future up the middle for the Wild. Eriksson Ek is a smooth skater, and if he continues to develop his vision and passing skills, he should become an effective distributor on a roster that maintains a solid set of scoring wingers on the roster. As of now, the Swede still sits behind veterans Mikko Koivu and Eric Staal -- who are 36 and 34, respectively -- on the depth chart, but he could creep his way into the top-six sooner rather than later.
In his first full North American campaign, Eriksson Ek didn't come close to the scoring pace he set in his initial crack at the NHL in 2016-17, but he still showed the two-way game that makes him the future up the middle for the Wild. The 20th overall pick in the 2015 draft is smooth in all three zones, and his vision and passing skills should quickly make him a very effective distributor on a roster littered with snipers on the wings. With Eric Staal in the final year of his contract and Mikko Koivu on the wrong side of 30, the 21-year-old should find himself in a top-six role by next season, but an early audition in 2018-19 isn't out of the question.
Eriksson Ek was claimed by the Wild with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2015 draft, and it's starting to look like he's ready to make a major NHL impact. He started the season in his native Sweden and ended it in Minnesota, where he seemed to have no problem making the necessary adjustments. After all, he managed to pick up seven points in 15 games despite averaging a mere 10:37 of ice time and seeing essentially zero power-play opportunities. Just 20 years old, Eriksson Ek is already a well-rounded two-way pivot who enters the 2017-18 season penciled in as the Wild’s No. 3 center. The presences of Mikko Koivu and Eric Staal ahead of him on the depth chart may limit his short-term upside in fantasy, but if extra playing time opens up as the season progresses, Eriksson Ek will be well positioned to take advantage.
Eriksson-Ek, the 20th overall pick in the 2015 NHL draft, will play in Sweden this season. When he does come to North America, he'll be a top prospect as he's shown strong overall skills. He had 21 goals in 25 games with Farjestad BK's junior squad last season, showing off his good hands and ability to peel out of possession and find seams to the net. He's a smart and competitive player who already plays a 200-foot game. And he has the ability to adapt his game to fit any style. That versatility is incredibly valuable. All Eriksson-Ek needs to do is add muscle and strength, and learn to battle against men. And when he does, he'll find his way to the NHL as a second-line, two-way pivot, not unlike Derick Brassard.
More Fantasy News
Good to go
CMinnesota Wild
February 9, 2025
Michael Russo of The Athletic reports Sunday that Eriksson Ek (lower body) will officially represent Team Sweden in the 4 Nations Face-Off.
ANALYSIS
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Won't play Saturday
CMinnesota Wild
Lower Body
February 8, 2025
Eriksson Ek (lower body) won't play Saturday versus the Islanders, per Michael Russo of The Athletic.
ANALYSIS
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Helps out on power play
CMinnesota Wild
January 30, 2025
Eriksson Ek notched a power-play assist and three shots on goal in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Maple Leafs.
ANALYSIS
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Tallies on power play Sunday
CMinnesota Wild
January 26, 2025
Eriksson Ek scored a power-play goal on four shots in Sunday's 4-2 win over the Blackhawks.
ANALYSIS
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Buries goal in loss
CMinnesota Wild
January 26, 2025
Eriksson Ek scored a goal, doled out three hits and added two PIM in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Flames.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
May sit Saturday
CMinnesota Wild
February 8, 2025
Eriksson Ek could miss Saturday's game against the Islanders due to an undisclosed injury, Michael Russo of The Athletic reports.
ANALYSIS
Eriksson Ek's availability for the 4 Nations Face-Off is unclear. If he can't play in Saturday's matchup, Minnesota will play seven defensemen because there aren't any extra forwards on the roster. Eriksson Ek has nine goals and 23 points in 41 appearances this season.
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