Minnesota Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who had already missed two games because of a groin strain, will miss at least two more weeks, the team said Thursday.
"It is a big loss," Wild defenseman Matt Dumba told reporters after Thursday's 4-2 win over Las Vegas. "You can't take anything away from that. It's Jared Spurgeon. I think he's one of the most underrated guys in the NHL. I see it on a day-to-day basis how good he is. All of us do.
"We have to fill that void. It's all working together and making sure we're focused every game from here on out when we don't have him. And when we do have him, we'll try to incorporate him and get this thing rolling."
Spurgeon has three goals and 12 assists this season, and he leads the team with 51 blocked shots. He is not expected to accompany the Wild on their three-game road trip, which begins Tuesday at Los Angeles.
To help fill the void, Minnesota signed Nate Prosser off waivers.