It has been two months since we did a Wild mailbag and several months since we did an ‘Ask Russo and Smith’ mailbag, but with Joe back on the clock, there’s no better time to answer many of your questions.

Superstar winger Kirill Kaprizov and veteran defenseman Jared Spurgeon returned to practice on Wednesday. Head coach John Hynes told reporters he's "cautiously optimistic" that both will play in their upcoming game against the Utah Hockey Club at Xcel Energy Center.

The Minnesota Wild, featuring Marco Rossi, meet the Colorado Avalanche on Monday at 3:00 PM ET, at Ball Arena. Looking to bet on Rossi’s props? Here is some info to assist you, below. Rossi Player Props Points Prop: Over/Under 0.

Utah continues the road trip tomorrow with a rematch against the Winnipeg Jets. Tomorrow’s game at Canada Life Centre will be the third meeting of the season between the teams after Winnipeg defeated Utah 3-0 on Nov. 5, and Utah returned the favor 5-2 on Jan. 20. Tomorrow’s puck drop is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT.

Yakov Trenin scored against his former team early in the third period, and the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday.

BOTTOM LINE: Central Division opponents meet when the Minnesota Wild play the Utah Hockey Club. Minnesota has gone 28-15-4 overall with a 10-6-2 record in Central Division play. The Wild are 26-2-2 when scoring three or more goals.

Your look at trends in fantasy hockey with goalie, power-play and droppable notes, with a focus on rising players this week.

With the NHL trade deadline approaching, New York Islanders center Brock Nelson has become a player drawing serious attention. Ranked No. 1 on Daily Faceoff’s Trade Targets board, Nelson has several teams that potentially see him as an ideal fit.

It's time to worry about Minnesota Wild center Joel Eriksson Ek's health. Eriksson Ek is on pace for 43 points in 68 games. He plays a demanding role as the team's garbage man in grueling matchups. Opponents constantly cross-check him in the back when he's in front of their net.

On Sunday, the Minnesota Wild announced that exciting prospect Liam Öhgren would return to the lineup from his stint in Iowa. The most inspiring part of the news? Öhgren was going to get an opportunity in the team’s top six.

Some of the issues that looked fixed two days ago in a decisive win against the Dallas Stars were again troubling for the Colorado Avalanche in a loss to the Minnesota Wild.

The Minnesota Wild (27-15-4) are back in action tonight for one more game on the road before they return home. They will face the Colorado Avalanche (28-18-1) today for a 2:00 p.m. central time start.