Wild's Jared Spurgeon: Facing tough test in training camp

Spurgeon and his teammates will be subjected to a skating test in training camp, the Duluth News Tribune reports.

Analysis:

The skating test is a precedent set by incoming head coach Bruce Boudreau, who decided not to pursue the final year of his contract with the Ducks in favor of succeeding 2015-16 interim bench boss John Torchetti in Minnesota. Spurgeon, who chronically dealt with upper-body injuries last season, spoke of the challenge. "I feel like anytime there's a skating test to start, we can kind of assume it's going to be a tough camp," the defenseman said. "You have to go down and back a couple times or something like that, and certain (finish) times are good times, and certain times are bad times. I'm sure it'll show who was practicing in the summer." Spurgeon is coming off a career-high 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) and remains in his prime at the age of 26.