What Happened
According to The Athletic's Joe Smith, doctors have cleared Brock Faber to play, and the 23-year-old Wild defenceman is expected to accompany Minnesota on its upcoming three-game road trip. Faber has not played this season after taking a puck to the side of the head in the pre-season and suffering a skull fracture. Smith reports that no date has been fixed for his return, with the timing tied to how quickly his strength and conditioning come back after more than five weeks away.
Key Details
- Faber, 23, has yet to appear in a game this season after a pre-season skull fracture.
- He was injured when struck on the side of the head by a puck and has been out roughly a month.
- His return date depends on conditioning after more than five weeks without game action.
- Faber set career highs last season with 15 goals and 51 points in 80 games.
- He added four goals and six assists in 11 playoff games.
- Nick Foligno, Marcus Foligno, Filip Gustavsson and Jared Spurgeon are also expected back from injured reserve on the trip.
What It Means
Minnesota sits first in the Central Division at 11-3-3 while waiting on a defenceman who led all Wild blue-liners in goals last season and finished second in points. Getting Faber back adds a top-pairing option to a group that could also welcome Jared Spurgeon during the same trip, giving Minnesota a deeper blue line as the schedule tightens.
What's Next
Faber is expected to travel with the Wild on their three-game road trip, with his first appearance hinging on conditioning. Minnesota could also activate Nick Foligno, Marcus Foligno, Filip Gustavsson and Jared Spurgeon off injured reserve during that same trip.