With their star defenseman sidelined by surgery, the Wild’s veteran captain anchors a collective blue-line effort that has stifled opponents during a dominant season-opening winning streak.
ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Minnesota Wild aren’t going to replace Brock Faber with one player and through the first two games of the season, they haven’t needed to.
With Faber sidelined following surgery for a skull fracture, the Wild’s defense has collectively stepped up in his absence. Minnesota has allowed just two goals through its 2-0-0 start, including one in Friday’s 4-1 win over the Boston Bruins.
Wild captain Jared Spurgeon has been at the center of that effort.
Spurgeon has moved alongside Quinn Hughes with Faber unavailable and scored in Friday’s win. Wild coach John Hynes said the veteran defenseman provides some of the same qualities that normally make Faber such an effective partner for Hughes.
“They’ve worked in tandem well together,” Hynes said of Hughes and Spurgeon. “They’re moving the puck. They’ve been defensively sound. Spurgy has a lot of similarities to Brock. They’re different players, but Spurgy gets the goal but he’s a guy even joining the rush, too, he’s good on breakouts. He can transition the puck. He’s good defending.”
Faber’s absence goes well beyond his spot next to Hughes. He plays in virtually every situation for Minnesota, including the penalty kill, while providing the Wild with one of their best transition players.
Spurgeon acknowledged there isn’t a direct replacement for what Faber brings. It is more of a team thing and a buy in from the group.
“Obviously, you’re not going to replace a guy like Brock,” Spurgeon said. “He’s a special player with the way he skates and reads the game, and just the talents in general. The chemistry him and Quinn have is something special. But as a group, I think we’re just playing a good, solid game right now, and we continue to build that throughout the year.”
That collective approach has extended throughout Minnesota’s blue line.
Hynes pointed to the work of Olli Maatta and Daemon Hunt on the penalty kill, while Jesper Wallstedt credited the entire defensive group for making his job easier through the first two games.
“It’s not something that just one guy does,” Wallstedt said of replacing Faber. “We’re doing it collectively, and that has been successful. Spurge has been great. I think Huntsy has been great coming in from the start this year. Overall, our D-corps has played very solid, and that obviously speaks for itself, only giving up two goals in the first two games.”
Wallstedt also highlighted the details of Spurgeon’s game that can be easy to overlook.
Spurgeon, 36, is entering the final year of his contract. He has played in 1,014 NHL games in his career, all with the Wild and has been the team's captain since 2021.
“He’s just an awesome leader at competing and blocking shots and never giving up on plays,” Wallstedt said. “He’s been doing great, and obviously, I love having him in front of me.”
Hughes hasn’t seemed fazed by the change in partners, either.
“Honestly it’s played out exactly how I thought it would,” Hughes said. “We have a really good team.”
Hughes made it clear the Wild will need Faber when he is able to return, but Minnesota’s depth has prevented his absence from derailing the group in the meantime.
“Of course, when we’re trying to play serious hockey, we will need Brock and we will need him throughout the year,” Hughes said. “I don’t know what his timetable or return is but, anytime you miss him, you feel it. But also, thankful for the depth that we do have.”
Through two games, that depth has been tested immediately. So far, Spurgeon and the rest of Minnesota’s blue line have answered.
The 5-foot-9 defender scored in the 4-1 win over the Bruins and has one goal and one assist through the first two games of the year to help the Wild win each of their first two games to start a season for the first time since 2020-21.
Faber's absence has required more from everyone on Minnesota's blue line, but perhaps no one more than Spurgeon. He's taken Faber's spot alongside Hughes, assued additional responsibilities and, on Saturday, provided some offense of his own with the Wild's third goal.
There isnt one player who can replace everything Faber brings.
But when the Wild needed someone to step forward, who better to look to than their captain?
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