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MN Wild Get Injured Forward Back vs Oilers; Others “Close”
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- MN Wild Get Injured Forward Back vs Oilers; Others “Close”
Nick Wosika-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
The Minnesota Wild (6-2-1) visit the Edmonton Oilers at 8 p.m. CT Tuesday, where they will try to continue their hot start against one of the only teams in the league with a win percentage better than them (6-1-1).
So far, the Wild's biggest problem in 2026-27 has been on the injury front. Brock Faber hasn't played this season after he underwent surgery on a fractured skull from a puck to the head in the final preseason game. Nico Sturm fell victim to a puck in the ear hole too, just a couple weeks after Faber, and has been out of the lineup since Oct. 12.
Scary moment as Nico Sturm takes a puck to the side of the head and needs assistance getting off the ice 🤕 https://t.co/sJGuLWeXqZ
— Gino Hard (@GinoHard_) October 13, 2026
Filip Gustavsson is on long-term injured reserve following offseason hip surgery, and Hynes said Sunday that he is still " quite a ways " from returning. Nick Foligno and Marcus Foligno are both on injured reserve as well.
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Captain Jared Spurgeon and Olli Maatta have also been sidelined, and Kirill Kaprizov was knocked out of last Thursday's win over the Blues by an illegal hit from goalie Joel Hofer before returning Sunday against Columbus.
Nico Sturm back in Minnesota Wild lineup
But Tuesday, we finally got some good news. According to Joe Smith (The Athletic) , Sturm is returning to the ice tonight, after missing three games.
Spurgeon and Maatta skated together as a pair on the fourth rush Tuesday morning but didn't take part in penalty-kill drills, per Smith . Maatta joined PK drills later in the skate.
Sturm in. Maatta and Spurgeon are "close" but not yet, Hynes said. Pitlick in over Lorenz
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) October 20, 2026
The puck that hit Sturm came off a Spurgeon wrist shot late in the first period against the Golden Knights. He needed help getting off the ice and was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
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Sturm logged 3:20 over five shifts against Vegas before leaving the game. Through three games this season, he has no points and two shots, averaging 9:02 of ice time and winning 88.2 percent of his faceoffs. Last season, he had five goals and six assists in 49 games with the Wild.
Related: MN Wild Place Captain on IR, Recall Two Players From Iowa
Sturm skated on the fourth line in morning rushes with Michael McCarron and Tyler Pitlick. Pitlick draws back in over Rieger Lorenz, which is an interesting change.
After Tuesday's morning skate, Sturm told reporters the puck cut him through his helmet. He called it a "scary" moment, needed three stitches and went through concussion protocol. Sturm will wear ear guards tonight and "probably for good."
Nico Sturm, returning tonight, said it was a "scary" moment taking puck off the head. It actually cut him through the helmet, above the ear hole. Got three stitches + went through concussion protocol. Could have been worse. He's wearing ear guards tonight + probably for good
— Joe Smith (@JoeSmithNHL) October 20, 2026
Jared Spurgeon, Olli Maatta "close" for Wild
Spurgeon was placed on injured reserve Sunday, retroactive so that he could come off as early as tonight, in his hometown of Edmonton. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough time, meaning he will miss his fourth straight game. He, too, hasn't played since Oct. 12 against Vegas, the same night Sturm was hit in the head.
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Without them, Minnesota's defense pairs in morning rushes were Quinn Hughes and Jonas Brodin, Daemon Hunt and Zach Bogosian, and Matt Kiersted and David Spacek.
