"We thought he was gonna lose one nut": Mats Zuccarello's ruptured testicle initially scared Wild teammate Marcus Foligno

Minnesota Wild forward Mats Zuccarello faced a painful injury during a game. On Nov. 14, he fell to the ice in pain after a wrist shot from defenseman Brock Faber struck him in a sensitive area, resulting in a testicular rupture.

The details of the injury were revealed when teammate Marcus Foligno, on the 93X Half-Assed Morning Show, mentioned that Mats Zuccarello's jock strap had a significant dent from the impact.

While there were concerns about the severity of the injury, it was confirmed that both of Zuccarello's testicles remained intact, although he was unable to lift anything due to the pain.

Marcus Foligno said (via Bring Me the News):

"We thought he was gonna lose one nut, but it actually survived, and he's got them both still. Poor guy got hit where the sun don't shine, and it ruptured his testicle. He can't even lift anything.

"It was hilarious," Foligno said of the dented nut cup. "It's funny after, now that he's OK."

Mats Zuccarello's ruptured testicle required surgery, and as a result, he has been sidelined for an estimated three to four weeks.

“I don’t know for sure how long Zuccarello will be out,” Wild coach John Hynes told Pierce. “I would probably say 3-4 weeks, maybe.”

The team is hopeful for a smooth recovery process for the veteran, who's a key player on the roster.

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How has Mats Zuccarello fared for the Wild this season?

The Norweigian veteran has accumulated 14 points through six goals and eight assists in 16 games this season for the Wild. With a 12-3-3 record, the Minnesota Wild are second in the Central Division and fourth in the league with 27 points after 18 games.

Zuccarello made his way into the NHL as an undrafted player. He has been with the Wild for the last six seasons. Before joining Minnesota in the 2019-20 season, he had spent nine seasons with the New York Rangers.

He has accumulated 650 points through 204 goals and 446 assists in 851 games over a 15-year NHL career.