The Minnesota Wild got unfortunate news on Thursday. Wild captain Jared Spurgeon will undergo season-ending hip and back surgery, marking a premature conclusion to his NHL campaign. As Michael Russo of The Athletic reports, “Spurgeon is having season-ending hip and back surgery. He’s expected to be ready by next season. With the defenseman on LTIR, the Wild can exceed the cap by roughly his $7.575M AAV (minus callups).” It is likely Bill Guerin will scout the market for a pending UFA blueliner. The news Spurgeon will miss the remainder of the season is obviously a brutal development.
In a statement from the organization, the Wild have assured fans of his full recovery by the 2024-25 season. That’s the good news. And, if the team can find someone via the trade market to replace Spurgeon’s minutes, the season isn’t lost and the playoffs aren’t completely out of reach. That said, since Spurgeon’s last appearance on Jan. 2, the Wild have suffered losses in five out of seven games. Currently 18-21-5, they occupy the seventh spot in the NHL’s Central Division, a decline from last season’s third-place finish. They got blown out by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night via a score of 7-3.
Spurgeon Will Be Hard To Replace
This news is a significant setback for Minnesota, given their limited defensive depth, particularly on the right side. Spurgeon, known for extensive playing time and penalty-killing prowess, leaves a noticeable void.
Russo writes that the Wild will probably prioritize bringing in a defenseman who is a pending unrestricted free agent so the Wild don’t necessarily have to re-sign him. And, they could potentially flip the player again at the March 8 trade deadline if add someone and it turns out they aren’t destined for the playoffs.
As the Wild grapple with the loss, fans eagerly anticipate Spurgeon’s return for the 2024-25 season.
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