Mikko Koivu is finally replaced as the Wild's captain

The Wild finally have just their second full-time captain in franchise history.

HockeyFeed
HockeyFeed
Published 3 years ago
Mikko Koivu is finally replaced as the Wild's captain
Zuma Press

In case you missed the news yesterday, the Minnesota Wild announced that they have named defenceman Jared Spurgeon as the team's second full-time captain in franchise history.

Check it out:


Spurgeon, of course, follows longtime Wild captain Mikko Koivu who was not re-signed by the team earlier this offseason. The 37 year old defensive forward signed a one year, $1.5 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The 31 year old Spurgeon enters his 10th year with the Wild and... well it's safe to say that he has earned the team's captaincy the right way. Once a training camp tryout invite, Spurgeon has established himself as one of the best defenders in the game and an incredible leader. 

"It was a huge honor, and I was very grateful that my family could be involved in it," Spurgeon said. "I'm not going to take [the honor] lightly. We have a lot of work to get to the goal that we all want."

Honestly, Spurgeon is the perfect guy to take over for Koivu. The understated Koivu led the team with hardwork and quiet respect and Spurgeon is cut from the same cloth.

"When you talk about flying under the radar a little bit, I think that's a public perception," GM Bill Guerin said. "But in the world of hockey and the world I live in, he's no secret and he hasn't been a secret for quite some time. He has the respect of his teammates, the players around the League and the coaches around the League, and that's what's really important."