The Minnesota Wild begin what is expected to be a very promising season on Thursday night when the play in Nashville against the Predators.
They’ll be doing it without Brock Faber, though, after a scary preseason injury.
Faber is a rising star in the NHL. He’s coming off the best season of his career.
In 2025-26, Faber played in 80 regular season games and scored 15 goals with 37 assists for 52 points.
Part of a blue line unit that also includes Quinn Hughes, Faber was expected to help lead Minnesota toward Stanley Cup goals.
He already has plenty of winning experience, because he was on Team USA with Hughes when they won the gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
The Wild also relied heavily on Faber in last year’s playoffs when they gave him more than 30 minutes per game before exiting in the second round.
It’s not clear now, though, when Faber may be able to get ice time like that.
What Happened to Brock Faber?
Faber is out because he was hurt in a preseason game on Friday, Sept. 25 against the Dallas Stars.
The 24-year old defenseman was hit in the head by a deflected puck.
Amazingly, he played his next shift, but the Wild eventually removed him and had him brought to the hopsital.
It turned out that Faber had fractured his skull.
He underwent surgery on Sunday, Sept. 27 — and the Wild announced that news on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
They didn’t set any timetable for Faber’s return after the fluky but serious injury.
Who Replaces Brock Faber?
The Wild are expected to move Jared Spurgeon onto the top defensive line alongside Hughes.
Spurgeon is the captain and has had that top-pairing responsibility in the past, so it won’t be new for him.
The 5-foot-9 Spurgeon is now 36 years old and has played in 1,012 NHL games. He has 123 goals and 315 assists.
Spurgeon will be playing his 17th season in the NHL, and they’ve all been with the Wild.
Everyone else essentially becomes a little more important defensively, too, with Faber out.
The second pairing is expected to begin the season with Olli Maatta and Jonas Brodin.
That would make the third pairing Zach Bogosian and Daemon Hunt.
The Wild generally go with one defenseman on each power play unit. It’s likely that Quinn Hughes will get almost all of that time, but Spurgeon does have experience in that role, as well.
Spurgeon will remain a crucial penalty killer, and most of the blue-liners will likely rotate through that duty.
If Minnesota can stay even strength or a man up, it will help the Wild overcome Faber’s absence in the early going.
Everyone will simply be hoping that he gets healthy, and there’s really no telling how long Faber will be out after this unusual injury and surgery.
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