The Minnesota Wild will be without Jared Spurgeon for at least three-and-a-half more weeks after the defenseman was placed on long-term injured reserve by the team on Wednesday.

Spurgeon hasn't played a single game this season after he sustained an upper-body injury during a preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 5. The veteran remains week-to-week and no other update was provided on his status.

The move to LTIR means the 33-year-old will be out for a minimum of 24 days and 10 games. The hope is that he can return to the team before the end of November, although the injury certainly is concerning for a player who has struggled to stay healthy.

The Wild's captain scored 11 goals and 34 points in 79 regular-season contests last season, adding two assists in six Stanley Cup Playoff games. Minnesota was defeated 4-2 in Round 1 by the Dallas Stars, who went on to lose to the eventual champion Vegas Golden Knights in the Western Conference Final.

Jared Spurgeon has been a huge part of the Wild for his entire career; he's appeared in 851 regular-season games with the club, scoring 110 goals and 379 points over that span, as well as 29 points in 67 playoff affairs.

In a corresponding move, Minnesota recalled forward Jujhar Khaira from the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild on Wednesday.

The Wild are off to a solid start to the 2023-24 season, compiling a 3-2-1 record over six games, good enough for third place in the Central Division. They open a three-game road trip against the Philadelphia Flyers in Pennsylvania on Thursday night.