Wild head coach Dean Evason said Jared Spurgeon will travel with the Wild for New York trip
Wild head coach Dean Evason said Jared Spurgeon will travel with the Wild for New York trip
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon participated in the Wild's practice today and stayed for the whole practice. Previously, Spurgeon would practice for the first 30 minutes and then sit out the rest of the practice.
This was to limit his contact and not re-aggravate his upper-body Injury that has had him out since the start of the season. Spurgeon was hurt in a preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks on October 5th.
Spurgeon, 33, was eligible to come off long-term injury reserve for the Wild's last game against the New York Rangers but wasn't totally ready to play. But today in practice, Spurgeon participated in full contact drills and is ready to go on the trip.
“There’s a possibility for sure," Wild head coach Dean Evason said today. "When, where, who knows. But he’s progressing quite nicely into full practice.”
The Wild are set to play the New York Islanders on Tuesday the 7th and then a back-to-back against the Rangers and Buffalo Sabres on Thursday and Friday. So Spurgeon could play on Tuesday but would likely get in his first game of the year in either of the back-to-backs.
It would be hard to imagine that Spurgeon would come back and instantly play in a back-to-back but he has looked good in practice. Plus the Wild are planning to play Daemon Hunt on Tuesday and have Jon Merrill as a scratch so they have an extra defenseman to begin with which means they don't have to rush Spurgeon in or play him on both Thursday and Friday.