Minnesota
Wild

News: Backstrom has undergone sports hernia surgery. The team announced that Backstrom's operation went as planned on Thursday morning in Philadelphia. The procedure was done by Dr. William Meyers. The 35-year-old Backstrom aggravated the injury while warming up before Minnesota's first game of the Western Conference quarterfinal series at Chicago on April 30. Josh Harding was sent in to replace him, and Backstrom was unable to play the rest of the series.
Impact: The Wild have said Backstrom is expected to be fully recovered for the start of next season. Whether he's still in the net for them is another matter. Backstrom will become an unrestricted free agent in July. He has played all seven of his NHL seasons with the Wild.

News: Backstrom had surgery to repair a sports hernia and is expected to be fully recovered for the start of the 2013-14 season, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Impact: It's not clear if he'll be playing for the Wild again next season as Backstrom will be an unrestricted free agent.

News: Rupp will undergo offseason meniscus surgery and is expected to have a quick recovery process, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune's Michael Russo reports.
Impact: Rupp, who tallied four points and 79 PIMs in 40 games during the 2012-13 season, should be ready for the start of the 2013-14 campaign.

News: Backstrom has a sports hernia that will require surgery in the offseason, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.
Impact: Backstrom wasn't able to play in the Wild's playoff series loss to Chicago after a setback to the injury. Backstrom may have played his final game for the Wild as he'll be a free agent this summer.

News: Harding (leg) will start Thursday's game against the Blackhawks, according to Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Impact: Harding, who left Tuesday's Game 4 against the Blackhawks with a leg injury, is evidently fine and will be backed up by Darcy Kuemper on Thursday.

News: Harding started Game 5 for Minnesota against the Chicago Blackhawks, a 5-1 season-ending defeat.
Impact: Harding left Game 4 on Tuesday following a collision with Chicago's Jonathan Toews late in the first period. Harding's legs got straddled around the left post when Toews landed on top of him in the crease.

News: Harding left Game 4 against the Chicago Blackhawks after the first period because of a left leg injury.
Impact: Harding was injured with about four minutes to play in the first period on a collision with Chicago's Jonathan Toews. Trainers came out to examine him, but he remained in the game and finished the first period.

News: Montreal's P.K. Subban, Pittsburgh's Kris Letang and Suter are finalists for the Norris Trophy, given annually to the NHL's top defenseman.
Impact: Each is a Norris finalist for the first time. Subban topped the league's defensemen with 11 goals and 27 assists. Letang finished second in the scoring race among defensemen despite missing more than a quarter of the season. Suter ranked second among players at his position in assists (28) and third in points (32).

News: Zucker scored at 2:15 of overtime to give Minnesota a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks on Sunday, pulling the Wild within 2-1 in the Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Impact: It was the first postseason goals for Zucker, who scored four times in 20 regular-season games for the Wild in 2012-13.