Defenseman Ryan Suter reported to Xcel Energy Center on Monday when the Wild reconvened for its first practice of the playoffs.
But instead of getting on the ice with his teammates to prepare for a first-round meeting with the Jets like he was primed to do just a few weeks ago, Suter wished them good luck during a 30-minute visit and then went home.
"I'll be cheering for them and supporting them every way I can," he said.
Suter will be a bystander for the rest of the Wild's season, as he recovers from surgery that fixed his right ankle after it was severely damaged March 31.
It was the first injury that sidelined the 33-year-old since he joined the Wild in 2012. It has pushed him out of the lineup at the most important and enjoyable segment of the season, but hasn't soured Suter's optimism.
"I think I'll be better than ever," he said. "That's the mind-set I'm going to have. This was probably one of my best years playing, and I think that there's no reason next year can't be better."
Only a game after Suter set his personal best and the franchise record for assists in a season for a defenseman with 45 and tied his career high in points (51), his right foot smashed into the boards after he was hit by Stars winger Remi Elie during the second period in Dallas.
"The video doesn't really do it justice, in my opinion," he said. "It looks like a nothing play. To break two major bones in your ankle just kind of like that doesn't make much sense. I felt it right when I was back there. I could feel the hit. The contact with the boards was pretty intense, and it kind of shocked me with how hard my foot hit the boards."