Brock Faber didn't practice with the Minnesota Wild on Saturday, a day after taking a shot to the head against Dallas.
The defenseman was struck near his left ear by a Sam Steel shot in the second period of Friday's preseason game.
He went down on the ice, then made it back to the bench on his own. Faber finished the period but didn't return for the third.
He'd logged 14:27 before his night ended, putting one shot on goal.
John Hynes kept the tone cautious. "It was partly precautionary," the coach said, according to Joe Smith of The Athletic. "It's delicate. We didn't need to push."
Hynes added that it usually takes "between 24 and 48 hours," with ongoing checks with doctors to see how things progress.
Jared Spurgeon slides up next to Quinn Hughes as Carson Lambos gets the call
Minnesota adjusted fast. The Wild called up defenseman Carson Lambos from the AHL so they could run four pairs at practice.
Jared Spurgeon moved up to the top pair alongside Quinn Hughes. The veteran played 19:34 on Friday.
That's a lot to lean on. Hughes is still weighing his future, with Elliotte Friedman expecting a short-term deal if he signs at all.
Hynes is right to take it slow. Losing Faber for a game in October is nothing compared to rushing back a player who just took a puck near the ear.
It's the smoke detector going off at 3 a.m. Probably nothing, but nobody in the house goes back to sleep until someone checks.
The stakes are real. At 24, the Maple Grove native set career highs last season with 15 goals and 51 points.
He's heading into his fifth NHL season and helped the United States win gold at the Milan-Cortina Olympics.
The Wild dropped Friday's game 2-1 and finished the preseason 1-2-1.
Minnesota opens the regular season Thursday in Nashville, then hosts Boston on Saturday.
Hynes' evaluation window closes before then. If Faber isn't cleared, the Wild's blue line starts the season a lot thinner than anyone in Minnesota wants.
Should the Wild hold Brock Faber out of the opener even if he's cleared?
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