With less than a dozen games remaining before the NHL takes a three-week break for the Winter Olympics, the Minnesota Wild find themselves getting younger on defense — and not by choice.

Veteran blue line presence Jonas Brodin — who missed four games in December due to a lower-body injury — is out of the lineup again, and this time the absence could be more lengthy.

Wild coach John Hynes said on Thursday morning that Brodin is once again beset by a lower-body injury, and is considered week to week. Brodin was one of four Wild players selected to skate for Team Sweden in next month’s Olympics. Hynes said he is still awaiting more information on the injury but said it was too early to rule Brodin in or out for the Winter Games.

Brodin played for Team Sweden at the World Championship last May and aggravated an injury that limited him in training camp. Hynes was asked if Wild general manager Bill Guerin would suggest Brodin skip the Olympics to be healthier for the Wild in March, April and a potential playoff run.

“I think we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. I think that’s, obviously, something that’d be between Billy and Jonas,” Hynes said. “Right now, I think we’ll just see where he’s at and exactly what it is. I think there needs to be more things looked at in order for us to get to that point. … Maybe he’s ready before the Olympics, maybe he’s not. We don’t know at this point in time.”

The loss of Brodin comes as the Wild headed into Thursday night’s matchup with Winnipeg still missing veteran forward Joel Eriksson Ek — also a potential member of Team Sweden — and veteran defenseman Zach Bogosian.

Hynes said that he expects Eriksson Ek and Bogosian to accompany the Wild on their upcoming three-game road trip to Buffalo, Toronto and Montreal.

With the blue line looking thin, the Wild recalled defensemen David Spacek and Carson Lambos from Iowa on Thursday. Spacek, who was expected to make his NHL debut versus the Jets, said he was on the way to Costco in Des Moines, Iowa, when he got the call-up.

“We went there and turned around, got packed and went up to Minnesota,” said Spacek after the team’s morning skate on Thursday. Thurday’s game will be the NHL debut for David but not his family. His father, Jaroslav, played more than 900 NHL games for a handful of teams before retiring in 2012.

The NHL debut for David comes just days after he was named to Team Czechia for the Olympics.

“It’s just been piling up a little bit, but I’m very glad for both,” he said. “I’ll just go out there and have fun.”

Hynes, who coached Spacek in training camp and in the preseason, said he feels the rookie could contribute right away.

“I think he’s played some solid hockey. He’s a good puck-moving defenseman,” Hynes said. “Talking to the management … he’s played with efficiency, he’s defended well, he’s moved the puck well, positioning has been strong. So, just come in and keep doing what he’s doing.”

A fifth-round pick of the Wild in the 2022 NHL draft, Spacek has 19 points in 35 games for Iowa this season.

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