Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon will miss two to three weeks due to a lower-body injury sustained during Tuesday’s game against the Predators. The defenseman was hit from behind by Nashville’s Zachary L’Heureux, who has been suspended for three games. Although the severity of the injury is not as bad as initially thought, Spurgeon will be sidelined for an extended period.
Spurgeon suffered the injury early in the second period after crashing feet first into the boards during a high-speed collision. His right leg bent awkwardly, and he was helped off the ice with his right skate lifted. L’Heureux was assessed a match penalty and later suspended by the NHL for three games.
The team’s president of hockey operations, Bill Guerin, stated that Spurgeon will need time to recover and is not in danger of making a return too soon. This marks the second consecutive season Spurgeon has been out due to significant injuries, including surgery on nagging hip and back issues last January.
In his absence, veteran Travis Dermott has been called up to fill out the Wild’s lineup alongside Kirill Kaprizov (lower-body injury), Jake Middleton (upper body), and Jakub Lauko (lower body). Guerin emphasized that Kaprizov is not at risk of coming back too soon, as the team wants him to prioritize his health over short-term gains.
Middleton, on the other hand, is expected to return from long-term injury reserve shortly. The defensemen’s birthday was even celebrated by Guerin, who joked about Middleton being able to open beer cans with his injured finger.
Source: https://www.startribune.com/wild-captain-jared-spurgeons-scary-injury-will-keep-him-sidelined-for-two-to-three-weeks/601201360