Number 7 is wild in Minnesota! He's much less talked about than forward Connor Bedard in Chicago or defenseman Luke Hughes in New Jersey, but Brock Faber of the Wild is by far the rookie used most by his team in the National Hockey League this season.
When the Wild traded forward Kevin Fiala to the Los Angeles Kings in June 2022, the Minnesota team did not hope to obtain such a wild card by including Faber in a transaction originally completed for a first-round pick.
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At just 21 years old, the young Wild defenseman with an intellectual eye off the ice is an outstanding hockey student. The maturity of his game undoubtedly explains why he averages more than 24 minutes per game. This makes Faber the most frequently used full-back on his team, ahead of veteran Jonas Brodin.
Brock Faber, center, celebrates his first NHL goal with his Wild teammates on October 12, 2023. Photo David Berding/Getty Images via AFP
In addition to his impressive playing time, the young man had already amassed 14 points in 30 games heading into Thursday night's game against the Montreal Canadiens. He scored his first and only NHL goal in the Wild's season opener at the Xcel Energy Center in a 2-0 win over the Florida Panthers. Since then, Faber has added 13 assists to his record.
Appreciated by his teammates
Quebec goaltender Marc-André Fleury, who will soon reach 1,000 regular-season games played, has seen defenders get past him throughout his career. He is well able to appreciate the work of the person who wears the number 7.
“I think he’s very good,” Fleury said bluntly. He's young, but he doesn't make many mistakes. He runs well, he can read the game well.
Photo Claus Andersen/Getty Images via AFP
With a differential rating of +11, the best in the Wild, Faber was a fortunate solution to make up for Jared Spurgeon's absence. The latter has been affected by various injuries since the start of the season.
“Faber has a great responsibility,” emphasized the Quebec goalkeeper. Sometimes he also plays on the power play. He can do anything on the ice. It's complete, but it gets better with experience. We are lucky to be able to count on him.”
Doesn't look like a young person…
At 1.85 m tall and weighing 90 kg, Faber already gives the impression of being a seasoned veteran on the ice.
“He really doesn’t look like a young man and is physically strong,” praised striker Frédérick Gaudreau. He runs fast and fights for the puck in the corners. I'm sure he has a great career ahead of him. Plus he’s a nice guy to be with.”
Without fanfare, Faber established himself with the Wild. Since he is originally from Maple Grove, Minnesota, he also has the opportunity to shine in front of his family and friends.
The defenseman was selected in the second round (45th overall) by the Kings in the 2020 draft and also played for the University of Minnesota Gophers for three seasons. In his last season there, last season, he was also team captain.
(In collaboration with Jean-François Chaumont and Jonathan Bernier)