devilslakejournal
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber joined his teammates for practice on Thursday, marking a significant step toward his regular-season debut, which was delayed by a fractured skull. Wild head coach John Hynes confirmed that Faber has received clearance from team doctors to play, but the 24-year-old still needs to build up his strength and conditioning before he is ready for game action.
Faber will not suit up for either of Minnesota's home games on Friday or Saturday, according to Hynes, but he is slated to be on the next road trip that begins on Tuesday at Montreal. The injury occurred in a preseason game on Sept. 25 when Faber was struck on the side of his helmet near the left ear hole by a shot; he was later taken to a hospital for surgery after his condition worsened.
Last season, Faber logged the ninth-most minutes of any player in the NHL and recorded a career-high 51 points in 80 games. Despite his absence and other key injuries, the Wild currently lead the Central Division with 25 points and an 11-3-3 record.
Key Analysis
Captain Jared Spurgeon, who replaced Faber on the top defensive pair with Quinn Hughes, has missed the last seven games due to a lower-body injury. Spurgeon will also join the Wild for the road trip next week, along with forwards Marcus Foligno and Nick Foligno and goalie Filip Gustavsson, who has yet to play this season while recovering from hip surgery. The Foligno brothers have each been sidelined for a month with upper-body injuries.
Originally reported by devilslakejournal.