Brock Faber skates at TRIA Rink after skull fracture
The Minnesota Wild defenseman was seen on the ice Wednesday, marking his first return to activity since his surgery in late September.
By Sakura Novak ·
Brock Faber laced up his skates on Wednesday morning at the TRIA Rink in downtown St. Paul. The video, released by the Minnesota Wild's social media team, showed the defenseman in a full practice uniform moving around the ice. It was the first visual confirmation of his return to the ice since the team's final exhibition game.
Faber has missed all regular season action following an injury sustained on Sept. 25. During a 2-1 exhibition loss to the Dallas Stars in St. Paul, a deflected puck struck him near his left ear. That area of the head lacks helmet protection. He left the ice after a few shifts and was taken to a hospital, where doctors performed surgery to repair the skull fracture.
In the Wednesday footage, Faber was seen skating and shooting pucks. He appeared to be smiling while working alongside other players who are currently rehabbing from their own injuries. The visual evidence aligns with comments made by head coach John Hynes last week. Hynes stated that doctors had cleared Faber to begin skating, a key step in his recovery process.
The Wild have not set a specific date for Faber's return to the lineup. He is expected to be evaluated further on Thursday during the team's practice session. That workout will prepare the squad for back-to-back games at Grand Casino Arena on Friday and Saturday.
Faber's absence has forced the team to lean on younger defenders. Captain Jared Spurgeon is also out, leaving David Spacek and Matt Kiersted to carry much of the defensive load. The Wild enter Friday's matchup against the San Jose Sharks with an 11-3-3 record. They currently hold 25 points, tied with Edmonton for the best record in the Western Conference.
Faber, a native of Maple Grove, brings recent high-level experience to the defense. He was named Big Ten defensive player of the year twice while playing for the University of Minnesota Gophers. Most recently, he helped Team USA win an Olympic gold medal last winter.
The team will provide more details on his progress after Thursday's practice. The decision on his availability for Friday's game will likely hinge on how he handles the workload in the coming days.
