Wild Notes: Faber, Shaw, Kumpulainen

Brock Faber is back on the ice, according to Joe Smith of The Athletic.

For the past few days, the defenseman has been skating with the Minnesota Wild at practice, which is a huge step back towards playing for their top-pairing blueliner. Faber fractured his skull after a shot by Miro Heiskanen appeared to hit him in the ear in a 2-1 preseason loss to the Dallas Stars on Friday, Sept 25, 2026. He is wearing ear guards, according to Michael Russo of The Athletic.

The 24-year-old defenseman is entering the second season of an eight-year deal signed back in 2024 for an $8.5MM AAV, the highest paying of any defender on the Wild blue line that will last until 2033. His deal is the largest…