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MINNEAPOLIMEDIA NEWS | Wild Defenseman Brock Faber Out Indefinitely After Surgery for Fractured Skull
SAINT PAUL, MN (September 30, 2026). Minnesota Wild defenseman Brock Faber is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery to repair a skull fracture suffered when a puck struck him in the head during the team’s preseason finale.
The injury occurred Friday during Minnesota’s 2-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. A shot by Dallas forward Sam Steel hit Faber near his ear at 10:24 of the second period, according to the National Hockey League.
The puck struck an area not protected by Faber’s helmet. Wild coach John Hynes said the shot would have hit the helmet if it had traveled approximately one-quarter inch higher.
Faber remained on the ice briefly before skating to the bench under his own power. He returned for another shift and completed the second period but did not play in the third.
Further medical examination revealed the skull fracture. Faber underwent surgery Sunday, and the team announced the procedure Tuesday.
General Manager Bill Guerin said the Wild would follow doctors’ guidance in determining when Faber may return. The organization has not established a recovery timetable.
Faber, 24, recorded 15 goals and 36 assists for 51 points in 80 games last season. He averaged 24 minutes and 41 seconds of ice time, the second-highest total on the team, and led Minnesota in short-handed ice time per game.
His absence removes a leading defenseman from Minnesota’s lineup as the Wild begin the regular season. Faber had been expected to play alongside Quinn Hughes on one of the NHL’s most prominent defensive pairings.
Hynes said Jared Spurgeon would take Faber’s position on the power play, while Daemon Hunt and Zach Bogosian could absorb additional penalty-killing responsibilities.
The Wild open their season Thursday at Nashville. Team officials emphasized that Faber’s long-term health, rather than establishing a rapid return date, remains the immediate priority.
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