ST. PAUL, Minn. — Ducks center Isac Lundestrom was scheduled to return to Southern California to be evaluated by team doctors after suffering an upper-body injury in Thursday’s 5-0 loss to Dallas.

The concern is that Lundestrom could be out for a long stretch. Exactly how long won’t be known until after additional tests, but Lundestrom, who has six points in 24 games, won’t be in the lineup Saturday against the Wild or Sunday in Winnipeg.

Misfortune, however, creates opportunity for others.

The Ducks could go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen against the Minnesota Wild, but it sounded as though Ducks coach Dallas Eakins was inclined to go with 12 and 6.

“It’s hard to go 11/7 with back-to-backs coming,” Eakins said. “We’re probably leaning more toward Pavol (Regenda) in. But we’ll see.”

With three points in 12 games in his rookie season, Regenda said it has been tough waiting for his chance and watching games from the press box. At 22, Regenda already has dealt with one major career crossroads, which unfolded during the pandemic.

“A few years ago, I wanted to quit hockey,” he said Friday. “Now I’m here. I’m happy I can be here and be with the guys. Being in the NHL is the dream of every kid. I just have to prove to the coaches I can play and deserve their trust.”

Regenda discussed the challenges after wrapping up his junior career in Finland, returning home to Slovakia and finding the pro overtures not to his liking.

“Then I get some offers, really bad, not (much) money,” Regenda said. “I said, ‘I’m either going to work or I’m going to do school.’ It was like a month thinking about, ‘I’m just quitting hockey.’ Then I get a call from my home team where I live – the highest league in Slovakia.

“So, I say, ‘OK, I’m going to try.’”

Eakins has consistently praised Regenda’s performance through rookie camp, training camp and the preseason, but noted the difficulty many rookies face as play gets ramped up with each passing month.

“Like any young player, play falls off and it’s a bit of a roller-coaster ride,” Eakins said. “I think it’s been hard for him to learn at the NHL level. Especially where we’re at as an organization right now. But he is going to get another chance and it’s really important that he’s urgent and desperate every day.”

MAN OF STEEL

Sam Steel played the first 197 NHL games of his career with the Ducks, but the organization opted not to qualify the player they drafted in the first round in 2016. He signed with the Wild in August, on a one-year deal worth $825,000, and now finds himself centering luminaries Kirill Kaprizov and Mats Zuccarello.

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Eakins had nothing but positive things to say about Steel.

“Incredible kid, zero maintenance,” Eakins said. “I’ve really got a lot of respect for Sam. High-character kid. … Probably, I think he got maybe in an unfair situation with our organization. Kind of by default was pushed down at his position. For me, and me alone, he’s a much better centerman than is a winger. His time here, he worked at his game. He listened.

“I think it was an excellent signing by (Wild GM) Billy Guerin.”

DUCKS AT MINNESOTA

When: Saturday, 11 a.m. PT

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.

TV: Bally Sports West