The Minnesota Wild’s NHL playoff run ended in painful fashion on Wednesday night, and defenseman Brock Faber did not try to soften the disappointment afterward.
Following the Wild’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Faber admitted Colorado deserved the series win.
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“They deserved to win this series, plain and simple,” Faber, who is signed on an eight-year, $68 million extension, told reporters after the game. “And, yeah, that’s just where it just gets frustrating, right? Because when we are at our absolute best, I think we can beat this team. Just they were more consistent.”
“I feel like they outplayed us most of the series, which that’s just how it is, that’s just plain and simple. You can’t really hide or dance around the fact that they outplayed us, but like I said, that’s where the frustration comes in. I feel like when we are at our best, we can beat that team. We just didn’t, and they deserved to win.”
Minnesota looked ready to extend the series after jumping to a 3-0 lead in the first period. Goals from Marcus Johansson and two from Nick Foligno stunned the Ball Arena crowd early. However, Colorado slowly clawed back into the contest before Nathan MacKinnon tied the game late in regulation with the Avalanche net empty.
Defenseman Brett Kulak then completed the comeback 3:52 into overtime with his first goal since January, sending Colorado into the Western Conference Final.
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Brock Faber caps breakout season despite bitter ending
The loss ended what was still a massive season for Faber. The 23-year-old established himself as one of the NHL’s top young defensemen during the 2025-26 campaign. He posted career highs with 15 goals, 36 assists, and 51 points in 80 games while averaging 24:40 of ice time per night.
Minnesota Wild defensemen Brock Faber (7) celebrates at Grand Casino Arena
Faber also became the fastest defenseman in Wild history to reach 50 points in a season. His impact carried into the playoffs, where he recorded four goals and 10 points while averaging an exhausting 29:44 minutes per game.
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Minnesota finally broke its long-standing first-round curse by defeating the Dallas Stars in six games before running into Colorado’s depth and relentless attack.
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Despite the frustrating finish, Faber’s comments reflected both honesty and belief. He made it clear that Minnesota believes it can compete with the NHL’s elite when fully locked in.