Faber’s goals not only provided the Wild’s scoring, but his individual efforts on the plays were highlight—reel worthy. First, he helped his team avoid a turnover in the offensive zone by taking the puck above the circles and driving the net, firing a shot past Jake Oettinger. On his second goal, he pounced on a puck in the high slot and took his shot, pumping up his teammates with a “let’s go” during the celebration.
He also assisted on Ryan Hartman’s goal in Game 1 of this series. Also in Game 1, Faber recorded a game-high plus-4 rating, trying Ryan Suter for the franchise single-game postseason record.
Faber defends well opposite Quinn Hughes and can also get to the front of the net or fire off a shot or two, like he did for his two goals in Game 2.
Faber’s ability to generate and produce on the offensive side of the ice is something he’s done at the right times, said Wild coach John Hynes.
“I think he’s playing a really efficient game,” Hynes said. “When there’s opportunities to pounce offensively, he uses his skill in those situations. He’s taking advantage of it, but he’s not chasing it.”
“If he’s in the offensive zone and nothing’s going on, he’s not trying to chase offense. He’s taking it when it’s presented, and I think that’s why his game is so good right now.”
After the Wild acquired the Maple Grove native in a trade with Los Angeles on June 29, 2022, Faber made his NHL debut just before the 2023 playoffs, right after finishing as the national runner-up with the University of Minnesota Gophers at the Frozen Four.
Hynes, who came to the Wild as head coach in November 2023, said Faber has grown a lot the past few years, stemming from those experiences he had with USA Hockey, the Four Nations and the Olympics, winning a gold medal with Team USA this winter. Those events gave Faber a chance for growth as a player “to understand the importance of defending, picking your spots,” Hynes said.
Hynes has coached Faber not only with the Wild but at the Four Nations and Olympic teams as well, giving him a chance to see Faber in other roles, too, like as part of a penalty kill and playing with Jaccob Slavin at the Olympics. With the Wild, Faber’s also gained experience on the power play unit.
