Jared Spurgeon injury update: Wild receive devastating news on team captain's availability

Minnesota Wild President and GM Bill Guerin announced some devastating news regarding team captain Jared Spurgeon's availability for the remainder of this season. Spurgeon will undergo left hip surgery on Feb. 6 and back surgery approximately four weeks later, sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Spurgeon has been sidelined for 28 games this season due to injury and hasn't been on the ice since Jan. 2. He was officially placed on long-term injured reserve earlier this week. The 34-year-old defenseman had participated in 16 games for the Wild contributing with five points from assists.

Guerin said that the timeline for Spurgeon's recovery is approximately seven months, meaning he is expected to be fully healthy in time for training camp before next season.

Minnesota is currently ranked seventh in the Central Division with a record of 18-21-5 and has been struggling lately, losing five out of the past six games. The Wild's recent defeat came at the hands of the Tampa Bay Lightning, where they lost 7-3.

The absence of Spurgeon now allows the Wild to utilize a $7.575 million annual salary cap. According to Michael Russo from The Athletic, it is anticipated that Minnesota will actively seek out a defenseman in the market.

Jared Spurgeon’s contract and career earnings

Jared Spurgeon signed his seven-year contract with the Wild on Sept. 14, 2019. The contract is worth $53,025,000 in total and carries a cap hit of $7,575,000.

Born on Nov. 29, 1989, in Edmonton, Canada, Spurgeon was drafted as the 156th pick by the New York Islanders in the 2008 entry draft. However, it is with the Wild where he has truly made his mark.

Throughout his time with them, he has accumulated a total of 384 points in 867 regular-season games and an additional 29 points in 67 playoff appearances.

Jared Spurgeon’s estimated career earnings currently stand at $53,976,133. His current contract includes a No-Move Clause (NMC) that will transition into a Modified No-Trade Clause (M-NTC) starting July 1, 2024. Once this transition occurs, he will have the ability to submit a list of 10 teams to which he cannot be traded.