- Minnesota Wild captain Jared Spurgeon took a hard hit in the team’s Thursday night preseason game. He sat out of the rest of the game and may be dealing with an injury that holds him out for even longer. Head coach Dean Evason said, “It’s not positive, but we’ll get a better evaluation tomorrow.” This will be an important thing to monitor, as Spurgeon’s impact in Minnesota is second to none. In addition to serving as their captain for the last three seasons, Spurgeon has also become a consistent double-digit goal-scorer capable of 40-point seasons. Wild fans will hold their breath, as his availability for opening night now seems uncertain.