Wild sign former Gophers captain Brock Faber to entry-level contract

CHICAGO — Brock Faber's junior season with the Gophers ended with a gut-wrenching loss in the championship game at the NCAA men's Frozen Four, but Faber could be back in action very soon.

He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Wild on Sunday that kicked in immediately, and the team said the defenseman would travel to Chicago where the Wild play on Monday against the Blackhawks.

The Maple Grove native turned pro after a memorable college career.

During his tenure, the Gophers secured two Big Ten regular-season titles, made three appearances in the NCAA tournament and took back-to-back trips to the Frozen Four. As captain, the 6-1, 200-pound Faber set career highs in goals (four), assists (23) and points (27) through 38 games before the Gophers were denied a sixth NCAA title on Saturday night with a 3-2 loss to Quinnipiac just 10 seconds into overtime.

Not only was Faber just the second player in conference history to receive Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors in consecutive seasons, but he was also a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection. The 20-year-old was also an AHCA/CCM Hockey All-America West First Team honoree this past season. He finished with seven goals and 46 assists in 97 career games with the Gophers.

Drafted in the second round (45th overall) by Los Angeles in 2020, the first Minnesota-born player selected that year, Faber won gold with Team USA at the 2021 World Junior Championship — alongside the Wild's Matt Boldy — and captained the 2022 team. He also represented the United States at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Faber was dealt to the Wild last summer in the offseason trade that sent Kevin Fiala to the Kings. A right shot, he'll wear No. 7 with the Wild, who have three games left in the regular season before the playoffs start.