ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild activated star Kirill Kaprizov and captain Jared Spurgeon from injured reserve before their game against Utah on Thursday, putting two integral players back in the lineup.

Kaprizov last played Dec. 23 against the Chicago Blackhawks. He missed 12 games with a lower-body injury that lingered longer than the Wild initially believed it would, taking a cautious midseason approach to the return of their leading scorer and first-line left wing.

He was among the NHL leaders in goals and points before he was hurt. He has 23 goals and 27 assists in 34 games.

Spurgeon missed nine games with a lower-body injury that he said Thursday included his ankle and knee. The 15th-year veteran defenseman was taken down Dec. 31 by a slew foot move that got Nashville Predators forward Zachary L'Heureux a three-game suspension.