Mats Zuccarello: NHL Minnesota Wild star hit in the groin by hockey puck during game, 'ruptured' his testicle

Minnesota Wild player Mats Zuccarello was playing against the Montreal Canadiens on November 14 when defenceman Brock Faber attempted to score, but the puck struck Zuccarello in the pelvic area instead. The 37-year-old right winger collapsed to the ground and was taken to the hospital.

Teammate Marcus Foligno later shared details about the injury on the 93X Half-Assed Morning Show: “He got hit where the sun don’t shine and ruptured his testicle.

“We thought he was gonna lose one nut, but actually, it survived. He’s got both still, so that’s good.” Although Zuccarello was wearing proper protective equipment, Foligno noted that his protective cup “had a massive dent in it.” Zuccarello underwent surgery and is expected to be out for approximately four weeks, Fox Sports reported.

Foligno admitted it was easier to joke about now that Zuccarello is recovering. “It was funny after, now that he’s OK. But I think he’s in one of those positions where he can’t even lift anything.” Despite the injury, the Minnesota Wild secured a 3-0 victory in the November 14 game. Head coach John Hynes expressed optimism about Zuccarello’s return:

“Zuccy's such an important part of the team. I've really enjoyed coaching him. He's a veteran player, he's an extreme competitor, he's got great hockey sense, and his value on the power play is huge.”

Hynes added: “He's played a long time, too, and I know when he comes back, he's going to be back to where he is.” Zuccarello has been with the Wild since 2019.