Frank Seravalli reports the Wild expect to get defenseman Brock Faber back Saturday against the Bruins.
Faber hasn't played a game this season. The sheet lists him on injured reserve with a skull injury, expected out until at least November 14, which is Saturday.
It started on September 25 against the Stars, when a shot struck him in the left ear. He had surgery a few days later and stayed in the hospital as his symptoms slightly worsened.
About a month after that, Faber was medically cleared to resume conditioning. He returned to practice a week ago and joined Minnesota on its swing through the Atlantic Division, where Boston is the last stop. The Wild then host the Predators before a three-game trip through the Pacific Division.
Minnesota hasn't exactly been waiting around. The Wild sit 14-3-4, second in the NHL and first in the Central, and they're 8-0-2 in their last 10.
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | DIFF | |
| 1. Minnesota Wild | 21 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 32 | +24 |
| 2. Nashville Predators | 19 | 10 | 4 | 5 | 25 | +6 |
| 3. Colorado Avalanche | 20 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 25 | +18 |
| 4. Dallas Stars | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 22 | +3 |
| 5. Utah Mammoth | 20 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 22 | -3 |
| 6. Winnipeg Jets | 20 | 9 | 8 | 3 | 21 | -7 |
| 7. St. Louis Blues | 19 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 20 | -1 |
| 8. Chicago Blackhawks | 19 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 11 | -36 |
Quinn Hughes has been a big part of that, with a milestone that put him next to Bobby Orr and 28 points in 21 games.
The Bruins arrive off a 5-2 loss to the Canadiens on Thursday. The Wild won 5-2 in Toronto the same night, with Matthew Boldy scoring three goals.
Does Faber's return make the Wild even harder to beat?
On paper, yes. Hughes played 28:29 in Toronto, and a healthy Faber gives John Hynes another defenseman he can trust with heavy minutes.
Faber closed last season with nine goals and 36 points in 49 games after the Wild acquired Hughes. Over his NHL career he has 33 goals and 127 points in 242 games.
The bigger storyline sits behind him. Hughes is on an expiring deal with no extension signed, and the questions around Quinn Hughes' future in Minnesota haven't gone away. If that situation doesn't resolve, Faber could be the one leading this blue line, and the Wild would be wise to treat that as a real possibility.
For now, the focus is Saturday in Boston. If Faber plays, it will be his first NHL game since a shot to the head put him in a hospital bed.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
How should the Wild handle Brock Faber's first game back?
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