Overview
- The Wild activated Jared Spurgeon from injured reserve on Thursday, Oct. 22, and expected him to be in the lineup against the Calgary Flames that night.
- Minnesota cleared a roster spot by reassigning 23-year-old defenseman Carson Lambos to the AHL Iowa Wild after Lambos was recalled but did not dress.
- Spurgeon missed four games after being placed on IR retroactive to Oct. 12 for an upper-body injury and had five points in the club’s first six games this season.
- When healthy Spurgeon usually partners on the top defensive pairing with Quinn Hughes and leads the team in short-handed ice time, so his return should let Hughes take more offensive risks and let Jonas Brodin move to the second pairing.
- At 36 and in his 17th season, Spurgeon brings veteran leadership and steady minutes to a Wild team managing multiple early-season injuries, and his presence could change how Minnesota deploys defensive depth in coming games.