Despite a strong start, Thomas Vanek’s regular season has come to an end as the worst of his career.

The Wild’s veteran left wing has been ruled out for the start of the playoffs, and potentially longer, because of an injury that stems from a cross check to the ribs he took March 29.

Vanek’s 18 goals this season are the fewest of his career, and his 23 assists are his fewest for a full season. He played 74 games but was a healthy scratch at times late and will miss the final three regular-season games because of the injury. Related Articles End of an era: Wild won’t re-sign longtime captain Mikko Koivu

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Vanek, 32, seemed primed for much more.

He opened this season, his second with the Wild, with 10 goals and nine assists in 22 games. But over the next 52 games, he had only eight goals and 14 assists.

Vanek turned down seven-year contract offers elsewhere to sign a three-year, $19.5 million deal with the Wild, saying he wanted to return to where he starred in college with the Gophers. In his first year of the deal last season, Vanek recorded a then-career-low 21 goals.

He played most of that season hurt, though, and underwent offseason groin surgery. Finally healthy, he started strong. But since December, Vanek steadily fell down the depth chart until former coach Mike Yeo and interim coach John Torchetti started scratching him.

Vanek still could return for the playoffs, but Torchetti ruled out him out for Game 1 of the Wild’s upcoming first-round series, which will begin either Wednesday at St. Louis or Thursday in Dallas.

“Vanek is going to be out for more than a week,” Torchetti said Friday.

If the Wild wanted to buy out the final year of Vanek’s contract, he would need to be healthy for them to do so. That NHL rule prevented the team from buying out goalie Niklas Backstrom’s contract last offseason.

BACKSTROM’S BACK

Backstrom, the fan-favorite goalie who called Minnesota home for a decade before he was traded to Calgary five weeks ago, might make the final start of his NHL career Saturday in St. Paul.

Backstrom has started two games for the Flames since being traded for forward David Jones on Feb. 29. In one, he allowed six goals in a loss to the Wild on March 24.

But Backstrom will get another game against his former team Saturday when he starts in the season finale. It will likely be the last game Backstrom, 38, plays in the NHL, wrapping up a fine career.

He ranks first in Wild history in games played by a goalie (409), wins (194), and shutouts (28).

BRIEFLY

Top prospect Alex Tuch, the Wild’s first round pick in 2014, will likely decide in the coming days whether to turn pro or return to Boston College for his junior year. The 19-year-old ranked fourth on Boston College in goals this season (18). The Eagles lost to Quinnipiac in the Frozen Four Thursday. If Tuch turns pro, he’ll likely start next season with the Wild’s minor league team in Iowa.