The Minnesota Wild had to be feeling good about themselves as they entered Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers with a record of 10-3-3. But with uncertainty about the roster and Quinn Hughes’s long-term future with the team, they got the good news they may have needed as John Hynes told The Athletic’s Michael Russo that Brock Faber has been medically cleared to return from a skull fracture.
“While he said he still doesn’t have a timeline for Brock Faber’s return, he also indicated it won’t be far, far off in the distance,” Russo wrote on the Wild’s game blog Tuesday afternoon. “He said Faber has essentially been cleared to return to play and now it’s just upping his fitness on a daily basis because he went five weeks without working out or being on the ice.”
The news comes just under a week after Faber was cleared to start skating after taking a puck to the ear in the Wild’s preseason finale against the Dallas Stars on Sept. 25 and could give Minnesota a lift both on and off the ice as they continue their chase to contend this season.
Brock Faber’s latest update is a big lift for the Minnesota Wild’s defense
Losing Faber was a massive blow for the Wild. The 24-year-old logged career highs with 15 goals and 51 points in 80 games last season and his game reached another level when Minnesota acquired Hughes in a blockbuster trade with the Vancouver Canucks last December.
In addition to Faber’s injury, the Wild’s defensemen have also had issues staying healthy this season. Jared Spurgeon and Olli Maatta have both missed time due to injuries and it pushed Zach Bogosian to a second pairing role while David Spacek, Matt Kiersted and the recently waived Daemon Hunt were all forced to play on the third pairing.
The Wild’s injury situation was also concerning because there was no clear timetable for his return. In an article by Russo on Oct. 8, Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman John Carlson, who fractured his skull and tore his temporal artery in December 2022, outlined a gradual procedure for his return to play in which doctors monitored his heart rate. In the end, he missed 36 games, which caused many to wonder how long Faber would be out.
While it’s not fair to speculate, Faber may have escaped the same type of injury. Russo noted that he’s been in the gym daily since he was given clearance to start skating and his return is more about getting back into shape after going five weeks without working out or being on the ice.
“It’ll be up to Faber and the strength coaches as to how he continues to ramp up and when it’s decided he’s ready to really up things by skating with the team,” Russo added.
Brock Faber’s looming return makes the Wild a dangerous team
Faber’s return solidifies the Wild’s core of defensemen, but it could give them an even bigger lift off the ice. While Minnesota has gotten off to an impressive start, they still haven’t reached a contract extension with Hughes.
Hughes hinted that something “could happen soon” when it comes to an extension. But many have speculated it’s tied to the Wild’s pursuit of Dylan Larkin, who is still a member of the Detroit Red Wings, as interim general manager Shawn Horcoff has held out for a bigger offer.
Even if it’s closer to Christmas than Thanksgiving for Faber’s return, it’s a far cry from the fears that were present when it was revealed Faber had fractured his skull. And with the star defenseman progressing, it’s another key addition that could help the Wild go from a good team to a legitimate Cup contender.
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