Following Suter's injury, Wild expect Spurgeon to return for playoffs

It's not all bad news for the Minnesota Wild.

Following the announcement that top defenseman Ryan Suter will be lost for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, Wild coach Bruce Boudreau revealed the team will soon welcome the return of injured blue-liner Jared Spurgeon.

"I'm sure that he's definitely ready for the playoffs and definitely if we needed him before this week was over then he'd be playing," Boudreau told Sarah McLellan of the Star Tribune.

Spurgeon has been sidelined for the past nine games because of a hamstring injury, but he could return to the lineup during the Wild's upcoming California road trip.

Prior to the injury, Spurgeon sat second among Wild defensemen - behind only Suter - in averaging more than 24 minutes of ice time.

In 61 appearances this season, Spurgeon has tallied nine goals and 28 assists.