Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber underwent successful surgery Sunday after suffering a fractured skull when a puck struck him near his left ear during Fridayâs preseason finale against the Dallas Stars, leaving Minnesota without one of its top defensemen as the 2026-27 NHL season begins.
Wild defensemen Brock Faber suffered a fractured skull during Friday's preseason game, the team announcedâŠ
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) September 29, 2026
Theres no timetable for his return currently pic.twitter.com/itnpCD53bx
Wild president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin said the 24-year-old is âdoing really well,â but Minnesota has set no timetable for his return. The team will follow medical guidance rather than establish a hockey deadline after a serious injury and surgery.
Faber returned to the ice before leaving the game
Faber was injured during Minnesotaâs 2-1 preseason loss to Dallas on Friday, Sept. 25, at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul.
A shot from the point struck Faber in the head with 9:36 remaining in the second period. He went down on the ice but was able to get back to his feet and skate to the bench without assistance.
Faber then returned for his next shift and continued playing during the second period before the Wild held him out of the third.
The seriousness of the injury was not immediately apparent. Further medical evaluation revealed a fractured skull, and Faber underwent surgery Sunday.
The NHLâs official Brock Faber injury update confirms the surgery and that there is currently no timetable for his return.
Wild put Faberâs recovery ahead of a return date
Guerin said Faber is recovering well following the procedure, but the Wild are not attempting to predict when he will play again.
Faber has been placed on injured reserve. His roster status, however, should not be interpreted as a medical return date. Minnesota has not announced when he could resume skating, practice with the team, participate in contact or return to game action.
That leaves the Wild waiting for doctors to determine each stage of Faberâs recovery rather than targeting a particular game.
Major hole opens on Minnesotaâs blue line
Faberâs absence is a significant early-season setback for a Wild team expecting him to play major minutes alongside Quinn Hughes. Hughesâ arrival reshaped Minnesotaâs blue line, with the Quinn Hughes trade to the Minnesota Wild giving the club another elite puck-moving defenseman to pair with Faber.
Faberâs ability to handle difficult assignments means coach John Hynes will likely have to spread his workload across several players rather than find a direct replacement.
Veterans Jared Spurgeon, Jonas Brodin, Olli MÀÀttÀ and Zach Bogosian provide experience, while Daemon Hunt gives Minnesota another option on the blue line.
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David Spacek gets an early opportunity
Faberâs absence also creates an opportunity for David Spacek, who earned a place on Minnesotaâs opening roster and provides another young defensive option for Hynes.
Spacek will not be expected to replace everything Faber provides. Instead, Minnesota can redistribute minutes and responsibilities throughout its defensive group while monitoring Faberâs recovery.
Faber was coming off a career-best season
The injury comes after Faber established new career highs during the 2025-26 regular season, recording 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 80 games.
He added four goals and six assists in 11 playoff appearances as Minnesota advanced to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Those numbers tell only part of his value. Faber handles heavy minutes, moves the puck effectively and is trusted in demanding defensive situations, making his absence particularly difficult to cover.
Olympic gold added to Faberâs standout year
Faber also represented the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympics and won a gold medal after earning his place on the Team USA hockey roster for the 2026 Olympics.
The international success capped a major year for the Minnesota native and reinforced his growing role among the NHLâs leading young American defensemen.
Wild open the season without Faber
Minnesota is scheduled to open its regular season Thursday against the Nashville Predators. Faber will not be available, forcing the Wild to adjust their planned defensive setup immediately.
There is currently no reliable estimate for how many games Faber will miss. The encouraging development is that his surgery was successful and Guerin says he is doing well. Minnesotaâs next meaningful update is likely to come when Faber reaches another medical milestone in his recovery.
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