The Minnesota Wild's season has taken a significant hit as their captain, Jared Spurgeon, is set to miss the remainder of the season due to a string of injuries, as confirmed by team officials on Thursday. The 34-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since early January and has been absent for numerous stretches this season, starting with an injury in the preseason.
According to an announcement from the Wild's President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin, obtained by NHL.com, Spurgeon's road to recovery includes a scheduled left hip surgery on Feb. 6, followed by back surgery roughly four weeks later. Despite the setbacks, Spurgeon is expected to make a full recovery in time for training camp in September.
#mnwild Injury Update:
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) January 18, 2024
Captain Jared Spurgeon will miss the remainder of this season due to injury.
Full details » https://t.co/2KBWr3mjrV pic.twitter.com/KlekwmsTUV
Spurgeon's absence is felt on the ice; he was able to contribute five assists in the 16 games he played this season. His leadership and playmaking are invaluable to the team, which has struggled in the Central Division with an 18-20-5 record.
As the Wild grapple with this loss, their performance remains to be seen. They face the Tampa Bay Lightning on the road in their next matchup on Thursday night. The team's status near the bottom of their division only compounds the pressure to adjust to Spurgeon's prolonged absence, the Wild said in a statement shared by CBS News Minnesota.
