November 29, 2010, not only marked the 21st birthday for Jared Spurgeon, but his NHL debut against the Calgary Flames. As he embarks on his 1,000th career NHL game, a milestone the Wild Captain never envisioned, he is just thankful to be here.
“The first game was more of a shock than anything with the way I got into the Wild organization,” said Spurgeon.
Selected by the New York Islanders in the sixth round of the 2008 NHL Draft, Spurgeon wound up in the Wild organization through a tryout after being released by the Islanders. The rest is history. The 5-foot-9, Edmonton native, ranks first all-time among Wild defenseman in points (123-311=434), goals, power-play goals (36) and games played. No one has spent more time on ice in a Wild sweater than Spurgeon, who sits at 21,932:14 entering his 1,000th game.
As great as he has been throughout his career on the ice, some might say he has been more impactful off it. Named the second team captain in Wild history on January 3, 2021, it’s an honor he doesn’t take lightly.
“It’s a huge honor. It’s a pride thing to put that logo on your chest and play for the teammates you have and the organization,” said Spurgeon. “It meant a lot for Bill (Guerin) to put that trust in me.”
One of the more soft-spoken guys in the NHL, Spurgeon leads more by example than by direction—but he often finds the right time to say what the team needs to hear. After a 4-6-3 start to the season, it was Spurgeon who called for a closed door, players only meeting in early November. Since then, the Wild owns a 35-10-9 record and is widely considered a Stanley Cup contender.
“When you talk about Spurgeon, you think of a perfect person. His professionalism is the biggest thing with him—he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet,” said alternate captain Marcus Foligno, who has been a teammate of Spurgeon’s for nine seasons. “He’s a great friend, that’s what special about him—how great of a father he is and husband. How much he includes people since he took over as captain, he’s been a guy that’s so inclusive with everyone. The culture starts with him.”
Whether a guy has played 1,200 games or 12, Spurgeon treats them all the same—that’s the kind of teammate he is. He and his wife, Danielle, will often host holiday parties at their home where every guy is invited, but especially those who may be away from their families during the season. He is the perfect leader, not just for this team, but for his family and this community.
To play 1,000 games in the NHL is a massive accomplishment, to do it on one team is even more meaningful.
“This is a very special place. All but one of my kids were born here, but Zach (Spurgeon’s oldest son) was raised here since he was two. We love it here, the people here and the organization. To be able to do it all one place is special.”
While he’s proud of this milestone and admits it’s special, he’s motivated to accomplish the goal every team sets to achieve, win a Stanley Cup. For a guy who has seemingly done it all for this organization, hoisting that trophy is what he really wants.
Wild Head Equipment Manager, Tony DaCosta, had one white sweater made for Spurgeon when he arrived in Minnesota thinking he’d never see Spurgeon again. Now, here we sit, the “undersized defenseman” as DaCosta labeled him, has not only stuck around, but has helped transform this organization into a serious contender with his leadership and his play. For an organization that only has one jersey number retired, there is a very good chance we will one day see Spurgeon’s 46 hanging from the Grand Casino Arena rafters. 1,000 games, a special honor for a special player.
