Wild Activate Captain Jared Spurgeon Just in Time to Save Their Blue Line
Daily Faceoff reported the activation on Tuesday.
The are finally getting their captain back. Daily Faceoff reported Tuesday that has been activated off injured reserve, ending a lower-body injury saga that left the team's defensive rotation looking like a random number generator.
When your 34-year-old anchor is stuck watching from the press box, things usually get weird on the ice. The Wild have been surviving, but you cannot navigate an 82-game NHL schedule relying on duct tape and vibes to protect your own zone.
The timing could not be better. is coming off a tight 4-3 loss to the on Sunday. With fellow defenseman Brock Faber and forward Mats Zuccarello also sitting on IR with upper-body injuries, the roster was dangerously close to holding open tryouts.
Getting back is the difference between a functional NHL defense and a beer-league scramble drill. For anyone looking at the betting totals for upcoming games, factoring in a healthy top-pairing defenseman who actually knows how to clear the crease is mandatory math.
is the guy who eats heavy minutes, calms down the breakout, and keeps the goaltenders from facing a nightly firing squad. Especially with starting goalie Filip Gustavsson still out until mid-November with a hip injury, the need all the defensive structure they can get.
heads out on the road to face the on November 11, followed by a trip to . Having back on the ice just in time to deal with the ' top six is a massive relief for a roster that desperately needed some good news.