Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, a native of Edmonton, will miss Friday's game against the Oilers with an upper-body injury.
Spurgeon is home seeing his family today, but it's believed he sustained concussion-like symptoms after taking a Mark Giordano shot to the chin last night. Spurgeon didn't see the puck coming until it was like four feet away, and by then, it was too late.
With all head injuries, the timetable of his return is up in the air.
Coaches were discussing whether or not to play Stu Bickel against the Oilers, but it sounds like the team will recall a defenseman later today. Right-shot defensemen Christian Folin or Jon Blum make the most sense.
Devan Dubnyk will make his 16th consecutive start tomorrow.
"He was playing in a backup role earlier in the season, so it's not like he's already played 40, 50 games already this year," coach Mike Yeo said. "Where we're at in the schedule, looking at the days off we have in between games, if we feel he needs rest, if we feel we need to protect him and make sure he's at his best, then we'll [give him a rest]. But right now we don't feel like there's that urgency."
