The NHL lockout already nearly sent Minnesota Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom to Europe, though an injury will keep him in America for the foreseeable future. That means that Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon will be the first Minnesota player to officially sign overseas as he's reportedly headed to Switzerland.
Spurgeon is expected to play on the same line as Ryan Suter this year, leading to high expectations, so his being in shape and ready to play as soon as the lockout is over will be key. Ben Goessling of the Pioneer Press reports that should be the case, too, as he'll play for the SCL Tigers alongside friend Tyler Ennis -- a center for the Buffalo Sabres.
Jared Spurgeon became the second Minnesota player to make arrangements to play in Europe during the NHL lockout - the WIld defenseman confirmed via text message this morning he has agreed to a deal with the SCL Tigers in Switzerland.
It'll be interesting to see how many Wild players end up playing in Europe before the lockout is over.
Stay with this StoryStream for more lockout coverage involving the Wild, and be sure to visit Hockey Wilderness for more Minnesota Wild news. Also check out SB Nation's NHL hub for more news and analysis from around the league.