Sports
Brock Faber is back at Wild practice after surgery for a fractured skull
Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber returned to practice Thursday after a fractured skull. He is cleared to play but will not suit up this weekend.
Brock Faber's long road back just hit the ice again.
The Minnesota Wild defenseman returned to practice Thursday after a fractured skull that delayed his season debut.
Coach John Hynes said team doctors have cleared Faber to play but the 24-year-old still needs to rebuild strength and conditioning.
Not this weekend
Faber will not play Friday or Saturday at home. He is scheduled to travel on the next road trip that opens Tuesday at Montreal.
A shot struck the side of his helmet near the left ear hole in a Sept. 25 preseason game. His condition worsened later and he needed hospital surgery.
Wild still rolling
Last season Faber ranked ninth in the NHL in ice time and set a career high with 51 points in 80 games.
Minnesota leads the Central Division at 11-3-3 despite missing Faber and other regulars. Captain Jared Spurgeon who filled Faber's top-pair spot beside Quinn Hughes has missed seven games with a lower-body injury. Spurgeon, Marcus Foligno, Nick Foligno and goalie Filip Gustavsson are also expected on that road trip as the club stacks healthy bodies.
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