Some people would send an "unknown number" to voice mail, but Erik Haula picked up Tuesday and was caught off guard when Rangers defenseman John Moore called to apologize.
Moore was ejected from Monday's game in New York and got a five-game suspension for a head shot that sidelined Haula. The Wild center missed his second game in a row Thursday.
"I thought it was a class act," Haula said. "I'm the type of person not to be mad at him. It's hockey. Whether you mean it or not, I'm sure no one really wants to hurt anyone in the league. I thought it was nice."
Moore got Haula's number from Wild defenseman Justin Falk, a teammate last season when the Rangers went to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin, hit from behind by the Rangers' Chris Kreider on Monday, also missed his second game. Brodin skated for 20 minutes on his own Thursday and looked to be favoring an injured hand. He didn't shoot pucks and was testing his puck-handling.
Wild coach Mike Yeo hopes both Haula and Brodin can return Saturday against Dallas.
Haula said head injuries can't be taken lightly. He noted former Gophers teammates Jay Barriball and Tony Lucia both had their careers ended because of head issues and said Barriball texted him to be cautious.
"He said, 'Don't force it, please,' basically," Haula said. "That's just the main message I have gotten from everyone, to be smart no matter how anxious I am to play. Don't push it. It's only Game 9 [Thursday]. … I was fortunate. It could have been a lot of worse."
Cooke sits out
Left wing Matt Cooke, who had a goal and three assists in his past three games, missed Thursday's game because of a lower-body injury he had been playing through. The team doesn't think the injury serious and believes rest will help.
Iowa Wild captain Stephane Veilleux, eighth all-time with 417 games in a Minnesota Wild sweater, was recalled and defenseman Stu Bickel reassigned.
Defenseman Christian Folin missed his fifth game because of an illness that included a swollen jaw, but he said his mumps test was negative and the hope is he can play Saturday. Strength coach Kirk Olson worked him hard while the team was on the road. Defenseman Keith Ballard, with the same symptoms (fatigue, aches, swollen jaw), hasn't been as lucky as Folin. He is still sick and went for more blood work Wednesday.
Dumba down?
After Brodin and Folin return, it would not be surprising if sometimes-erratic rookie Matt Dumba is sent to Iowa for a bigger role.
"I do want to see improvement," Yeo said. "What you want to do is make sure that by trying to make a great play when it's not there that you're not making a bad play. I want him to continue to do some of the [good] things he's doing, but … get rid of the bad plays. That's how he's going to get better, that's how he's going to stay with us."
Etc.
• Falk, who signed a two-way deal with the Wild after the team traded him to the Rangers in 2013, wants to forget his 21-game stint with New York. "Last year was an adventure," said Falk, who has played 109 games with the Wild. "The opportunity wasn't there that I hoped for. Every year you want to get better, and I wasn't able to take a step forward last year. I've played some good hockey in this league and can contribute and I just have to work hard to find it and get it back."
• Zach Parise, stitched up Monday during the game in New York, joked that he got the thick "shoelace" removed from his face. He was restitched by a local doctor Wednesday.
