Wild send rookie Joel Eriksson Ek back to Swedish club

The Minnesota Wild have assigned rookie center Joel Eriksson Ek (AIR-ihk-suhn EHK) to his team in Sweden.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) The Minnesota Wild have assigned rookie center Joel Eriksson Ek (AIR-ihk-suhn EHK) to his team in Sweden.

The Wild made the move Thursday with one of their top prospects, prior to their game against Boston. Eriksson Ek, who has two goals and three assists in nine games, will return to Farjestad BK in the Swedish Elite League. Because he didn't reach the 10-game mark, Eriksson Ek's entry-level contract will slide to next season and delay his eligibility for free agency.

The 19-year-old became the seventh player in Wild history to score a goal in his NHL debut, but he was a healthy scratch in the last two games and averaged only 10 minutes, 7 seconds of ice time. Eriksson Ek was Minnesota's first-round draft pick in 2015.