Joel Eriksson Ek
A Swedish two-way center whose relentless, physical style and clutch scoring have made him the indispensable heart of the Minnesota Wild.
Born 1997 (age 29)·Swedish ice hockey player·Birthday: January 29·Generation Z
Biography
Joel Eriksson Ek plays hockey with the subtlety of a power drill and the precision of a surgeon. Drafted by the Minnesota Wild in 2015, the Swedish center arrived with a reputation for responsible two-way play but had to fight to carve out his NHL identity. Early seasons saw him shuttling between Minnesota and the AHL, learning to translate his robust, net-front game to North American ice. The breakthrough was a matter of trust and opportunity. Coaches began deploying him in every critical situation—killing penalties, taking key defensive-zone faceoffs, and matching up against the league's top stars. In response, Eriksson Ek didn't just shut players down; he started scoring, transforming from a defensive specialist into a legitimate 30-goal threat. His game is built on an almost obsessive work ethic, battling in the 'dirty areas' of the ice to create chances and wear down opponents. He signed a long-term contract with the Wild, a commitment that cemented his status not just as a player, but as the foundational culture-setter for the franchise's next era.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Joel was born in 1997, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Joel Was Born
The biggest hits of 1997
#1 Movie
Titanic
Best Picture
Titanic
#1 TV Show
ER
Joel's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1997Born
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2002Started school
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2010Became a teenager
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2013Could drive
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2015Could vote
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2018Turned 21
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 29 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Scored a career-high 30 goals and 61 points for the Minnesota Wild during the 2022-23 NHL season.
- Signed an eight-year contract extension with the Wild in 2021, with an average annual value of $5.25 million.
- Won a silver medal with Team Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Championship.
- Recorded his first NHL hat trick on March 12, 2022, against the Arizona Coyotes.
Did You Know?
His father, Claes Eriksson, was a professional hockey player in Sweden.
He wears jersey number 14 as a tribute to his childhood idol, Swedish football legend Freddie Ljungberg.
Eriksson Ek is known for his intense offseason training regimen, which often includes logging (carrying heavy logs) in the Swedish forests.
He and his wife, Elina, have a son named Noah.
“I just try to play hard every shift. That's my game, to be hard to play against.”
