With just one game left in the preseason, the Minnesota Wild have been hit with the first injury to their NHL roster. Jared Spurgeon was injured in the first period of their most recent game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 5 and didn’t return. It was quickly noticed someone was missing from the bench, and when the name was announced over the TV broadcast, you knew it wasn’t good; the captain doesn’t go down easy.
The following day, the news wasn’t the greatest, but not the worst. Spurgeon is listed as week-to-week due to an upper-body injury. While it’s never good when an injury happens to a big name on your roster, thankfully, it’s the beginning of the season and seems to be nothing serious. This article will examine what Spurgeon brings to the team and how they must step up while he’s out.
Spurgeon is Invaluable
Regarding what Spurgeon brings to his team, leadership, and defensive prowess with a slight offensive spark come to mind. In a recent article, we discussed further how Spurgeon has improved his game since becoming captain in Jan. 2021. This is more about what he’s brought throughout his career and the captaincy.
He’s tied for the 10th smallest player in the league, and because of that, he used to not be taken seriously. To Wild fans, his small stature doesn’t matter; the fact that he’s a great defenseman and can still throw some hits does. He’s the number one shot blocker on their team, and that will hurt them unless more than one player steps up.
He’s a big piece of their lineup that provides crucial defensive skills and can score goals. It won’t be a shock if the defense is slightly off with Spurgeon out of the lineup. Most don’t notice him when he’s in the lineup because he’s doing what they expect him to do, but they’ll see his absence once he’s gone. As far as his leadership goes, while they need a bit more voice from him sometimes, they’ll miss his calm demeanor that keeps things from getting out of hand.
Wild’s Options for Stepping Up
Not one player can take Spurgeon’s place in the lineup. The fact is, there’s no one exactly like him. Jonas Brodin is more defensive-minded with less offensive style, while Brock Faber is starting to show a more aggressive defense and offense. Calen Addison is more offensive than defensive, something he’s still working on, while both Jon Merrill and Alex Goligoski are defense-first and at the bottom of the defensive pairings.
That leaves Spurgeon’s defensive partner, Jake Middleton. Like the Wild’s top line of Kirill Kaprizov, Ryan Hartman, and Mats Zuccarello, Spurgeon and Middleton make for an odd pairing that works well. Middleton is probably the most similar to Spurgeon with his defensive style and a little offensive flair, but they are opposites in size and physicality. As many say, “opposites attract,” which fits them perfectly.
Who will step up in Spurgeon’s absence, you may ask? The truth is, all of them have to. Every defenseman on the Wild’s roster must find that next level quickly; otherwise, they will struggle until Spurgeon returns. Every player needs to block a few extra shots, play a bit of defense, add slightly more offense, and spread it out so that not just one player feels the pressure, but they all share it.
This also includes the forwards; making up for a player like Spurgeon will take an entire team effort. Marcus Foligno and whoever wears the other “A” or “A’s,” depending on what the Wild choose to do, will also need to balance out their leadership. There’s no doubt that their captain will provide off-ice guidance and support, but they’ll need it in on-ice form as well.
Spurgeon’s Injury Timing
Regarding timing for an injury to one of their best players, this is the best time. They have one game left in the preseason, so they have time to adjust the lineup without points being on the line. Also, while it appears it will affect the beginning of the season slightly, it’s so early that, hopefully, no real damage will be done.
Related: Wild’s Captain Spurgeon Works Best Under the Radar
It would be a different story if they were in the latter half of the season with every point on the line. Hopefully, Spurgeon is back sooner rather than later, and his teammates can fill the void until he returns. However, with the timing of the injury, there’s no need to rush him back into the lineup, which will allow him to recover fully. Sometimes, players must hurry their recovery, leading to re-injury and longer time out, but that doesn’t have to be the case here.
Wild Must Focus
The Wild will be hurt without Spurgeon, but they’ll be okay if everyone on the team can make a total effort. It’ll take the entire team, but it can be done. It starts with their defense being comfortable with new pairings and focusing on their defensive play. One thing they’ll have to make sure is not allowing Spurgeon’s absence to take over their mindset. He’s a huge part, but they can play without him.
It’ll be interesting to see how they adapt and which player will step up. The whole team needs to, but there’s typically always one player who stands out. It’ll likely be a defenseman, and I could see Middleton being the one. It may be an odd choice, but he is Spurgeon’s partner, and if anyone can play close to his level, it would be Middleton. Hopefully, this will be a short-lived injury, and everything will return to normal soon.
