The Minnesota Wild have climbed to 11-3-3 this season while playing without several regulars in the lineup due to a variety of injuries — a list that started growing before the regular season even began.
In the Wild’s final preseason game on Sept. 25 against the Dallas Stars, defenseman Brock Faber was hit in the head by a puck and suffered a skull fracture. He had surgery a few days later and sat out a full month before being cleared for workouts last week (Oct. 29).
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Since then, Faber has been skating on his own and working out in the gym, according to head coach John Hynes. On Thursday, though, he took another giant leap forward in his return to the ice when he participated in his first full practice since his injury. And yes. he wore ear guards on his helmet the entire session.
Brock Faber is on the ice with the Wild for practice for the first time since his preseason injury. pic.twitter.com/vtFYhsFa7u
— Heather Rule (@hlrule) November 5, 2026
Related: MN Wild Get Injured Forward Back vs Oilers; Others “Close”
Getting him back is a big deal for Minnesota. Last season, Faber set career highs with 15 goals, 36 assists and 51 points in 80 games while averaging 24:41 of ice time. He added 10 points in 11 playoff games.
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Want more good news? While he won’t play this weekend in St. Paul against the Sharks (Friday) or Lightning (Saturday), Brock Faber will travel with the team next week on their road trip out East for three games against Montreal (Tuesday), Toronto (Thursday) and Boston (next Saturday), per Joe Smith (The Athletic).
When he will actually get back on the ice for a game, however, is still TBD.
Faber’s return isn’t imminent, but he will join the Wild on their three-game road trip next week. Coach John Hynes said his return date is a “moving target.” Faber has been medically cleared but needs to get his strength and conditioning up after five weeks off.
Faber flew around the ice and participated in penalty-kill drills during Thursday’s practice at Grand Casino Arena, hardly looking like someone who missed extended time.
Hynes told reporters the timeline is “a little bit of a moving target” and that Faber’s doctor visits have gone well. The focus now is ramping him up until he is physically ready to play.
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Goalie Jesper Wallstedt said he “smiled a lot” seeing Faber back on the ice. Matt Boldy called Faber tough and said the time away was probably hardest on him, mentally.
Faber wasn’t the only one back at practice today, either. Forwards Marcus Foligno (lower body, 13 games missed) and Nick Foligno (upper body, 14 games missed) also skated, along with captain Jared Spurgeon (lower body, three games missed).
Some reinforcements may be on the way for the Wild.
Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon, and the Foligno brothers were all on the ice at practice this morning.
Faber is slowly coming back from a weird fractured skull injury. pic.twitter.com/NdlcCwfGnF
— Alec Ausmus (@A_TwiceKSTP) November 5, 2026
Related: MN Wild Place Captain on IR
Like Faber, Spurgeon won’t play this weekend when the Wild host San Jose on Friday and Tampa Bay on Saturday. But all of the injured players are expected to travel on next week’s three-game road trip.
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Joel Eriksson Ek also missed Thursday’s practice, but it was a maintenance day. Smith reports he will play Friday against the Sharks.
Read more at Minnesota Sports Fan
