“It’s been a crazy journey”

The Wild player who wore jersey No. 7 was once a college student enrolled in online classes, though Brock Faber has a hard time remembering when that was.

That was two weeks ago.

“I haven’t opened my laptop in a while,” she said with a smile, thinking about schoolwork, “but I’ll have to get back on track at some point.”

Forgive him. He’s a little worried right now.

Faber has gone headfirst into a whirlwind of changes over the past 14 days. One minute he’s the captain of the Gophers men’s hockey team in the national championship game, the next he’s a professional hockey player fighting puck battles in the Stanley Cup playoffs for his hometown team.

In the immortal words of Ferris Bueller, life moves pretty fast. The speed of sound for top hockey prospects of Faber’s pedigree.

“It’s hard to even keep track of what day it is,” he said. “It’s been a crazy ride.”

That ride arrived at another great sign Friday night: Game 3 of the Wild’s playoff series against the Dallas Stars. First playoff home game for the Wild and their new defense from Maple Grove this season. Faber was on the ice for two Wild goals, leading to a 5-1 win and a 2-1 series lead.

In fact, Faber reminded his mother, Karr, one night that Friday’s morning skate would be his first chance to skate at the Xcel Energy Center with his Wild teammates since joining them on April 9, just hours after the Gophers suffered a heartbreaking loss to Quinnipiac in the national title game. title game.

“It just goes together,” his father, Jay, said. “It seems like months ago we were in Tampa.”

Faber’s life right now is the equivalent of earning a Disney World FastPass to a favorite ride. He was in the Wild lineup in Chicago two days after the national championship game, a unique feature in pro hockey.

In most sports, the rookie path typically includes a gradual introduction phase with rookie camps, training camps, and exhibition games before the start of the regular season. College hockey prospects often skip this process and go straight to the NHL playoffs and then possibly the playoffs.

Faber has looked so natural and poised throughout his transition that it’s easy to forget he’s only 20 years old and has been an NHL player for less than two weeks.

He has impressed the Wild coaches and teammates with all aspects of his game, especially his demeanor. He doesn’t look out of place on the ice or in the locker room. He navigated the leap to a faster, more physical style of play skillfully.

“You’re obviously playing against better players,” he said, “but you’re also playing with a lot better players. It’s special to be able to wear the same jersey with them.”

Faber was third on the team in blocked shots after two games in the series. In Game 1, he drew a foul with his stick to prevent a goal in overtime. The Wild played terribly in the second game, but coach Dean Evason pointed out that Faber did not appear in the video package put together by the coaches.

“He’s just going about his business,” Evason said.

None of this surprises Gophers coach Bob Motzko, who cites Faber’s participation in the Olympics, the World Junior Championships and the NCAA Frozen Four as examples of his experience on the big stage.

“It’s not too big for Brock,” Motzko said.

Still, the time between the Frozen Four and the present feels hazy. Faber experienced more of a change by moving into a hotel Friday while staying on campus in a place he shared with Gophers teammates Mike Koster, Mason Nevers and Carl Fish.

His cheering section Friday night was big and proud. His parents counted about 25 family and friends in their group, and their plans included a pre-game dinner in downtown St. Paul.

His parents were already avid Wild fans, so watching his son on the ice in the playoffs is “still unbelievable,” his father said.

Their son shares this sentiment.

“It’s definitely a dream come true,” Faber said. “Still trying to process everything.”