When he's driving to Xcel Energy Center and sees people milling around St. Paul in jerseys on their way to Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub, that's when reality sinks in for Brock Faber.

He used to be in that crowd going for a pregame bite. Faber went to watch the Wild as a kid whenever he could, using his cousin's season tickets, and it was the "coolest thing" for the self-proclaimed biggest Wild fan.

All these years later, Faber is still going to the arena, but under much different circumstances.

For starters, his commute is shorter, the 21-year-old living in Minneapolis after growing up in Maple Grove. He also shows up in a suit, not pulling on a jersey until after he's there. As for his destination after arriving, that's changed, too.

Once in the seats cheering on the Wild, Faber is now on the ice playing for them.

"It's crazy, right?" he said. "It's really crazy."

But making his childhood dream come true might not be the most impressive part.

Faber has turned into the Wild's most heavily used defenseman to launch himself into the running for the NHL's rookie of the year and make his storybook start even more memorable.

"This is great," Faber said. "This is everything I ever wanted. Now it's just really onto the next goal in my life."

Starting local

The next goal on Faber's radar (more on that later) wouldn't be possible if he didn't make it to the NHL.

How did that happen?

Faber skated on the backyard rinks in his Maple Grove neighborhood. The son of Jay and Karri with two older sisters Payton and Paige, he started organized hockey around 7 years old. But he was also in baseball, lacrosse, basketball, soccer, football, "You name it," Karri Faber said.

Faber liked football and hockey the most. He was talented as a running back, but he was better at hockey: Faber gave up football when he left for Plymouth, Mich., to join USA Hockey's National Team Development Program.

"That was really important for me," Faber said. "You have to mature a lot quicker obviously leaving home at 16. All I ever knew was Maple Grove, Minnesota."

His game evolved, too, but Faber was homesick.

"It really made him realize how much he loves Minnesota," Karri said.

Fortunately for Faber, he had a spot on the Gophers waiting for him; in an omen for what was to come, Faber played his college career for his other favorite hockey team.

"The three years I was there were the best three years of my life," he said.

Homecoming time

At Minnesota, Faber continued his ascent.

He helped the Gophers win two Big Ten championships and earn three NCAA tournament berths. Twice Faber was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. As captain his junior season, Faber put up 27 points in 38 games, committed only six penalties and was plus-29.

While he was in college, Faber also represented the United States at two World Junior Championships (winning gold once) and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

"He came to us awful good," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. "He was at a high level from Day 1 because he's physically strong. He's always had a great frame, and his skating ability is world class. So there wasn't a moment in games with us that he was over his head."

Faber was with his Gophers teammates when he was drafted in the second round 45th overall by Los Angeles in 2020.

"We were huge L.A. fans for a while," Jay Faber said.

But Brock was caught at a Wild game in April 2022, cheering after a Kirill Kaprizov goal in a photo that went viral. And before he ever suited up for the Kings, Faber was traded for 30-goal scorer Kevin Fiala.

He was doing homework in June 2022 when he found out, finally picking up the phone he left across the room so he'd stay off it.

Jay Faber was at Home Depot when Brock told him he'd been traded and that it was reported he was going to the Wild.

"I'm like, 'No way,'" Jay recalled. "We were laughing."

After that next season with the Gophers culminated in another Frozen Four appearance, Faber signed with the Wild and made his NHL debut two days after losing the national championship game to Quinnipiac.

He then faced Dallas in the playoffs and was never scored on in the series, showcasing his readiness for the NHL, and the experience changed his thinking: Faber went from simply wanting to make the team out of training camp to wanting to have a significant role.

"He wants big moments," Motzko said, "and he's the type of player that's going to shine in those."

Results as a rookie

Faber averages the most ice time on the Wild at 24 minutes, 51 seconds, which not only leads all rookies but is tied for 10th in the NHL, and he's logged a whopping 200 more minutes than the next closest teammate.

Five times he's eclipsed 30 minutes, and his 33:25 on Dec. 21 vs. Montreal is the most any NHLer has played this season.

Almost 40% of Faber's ice time is against elite competition (PuckIQ), and no one on the Wild has been on the penalty kill more than Faber has. His 2.22 expected goals-against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (Evolving-Hockey) is among the best on the team, a solid clip considering his workload and that he's appeared in all 49 games.

That steadiness is what helped buoy the blue line when Jonas Brodin and captain Jared Spurgeon, who is out for the season, were injured.

"You see what he does on a nightly basis, and I could see it when we were at World Juniors, could see it when we were at the Gophers," said Faber's former teammate and Arizona rookie Logan Cooley. "Just the way he competes, just how much he loves the game, too, it's really fun to see. I'm happy to see him having success."

Faber's effectiveness at defending stems from his skating since he's able to eliminate time and space for the opposition. In a one-on-one situation, he has a knack for prevailing because of his physical strength (6-1 and 200 pounds) and how well he uses his stick.

"He can command the battles that he gets into," Wild coach John Hynes said.

The real eye-opener has been how much offense he's created; Faber, a right shot, is quarterbacking the power play for the first time in his career.

Already he's set the franchise record for longest point streak (six games) for a rookie defenseman, and Faber was recently named the NHL's rookie of the month for January.

He has four goals and 25 assists for 29 points, which are the second-most for rookies and only four behind Chicago's Connor Bedard, who was the favorite to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL's best rookie before suffering a fractured jaw last month.

"It's cool, for sure," Faber said about the buzz. "But it's not as important as winning or going on a roll here, making the playoffs and hopefully going on a run in the playoffs."

Dream team

The Wild have their work cut out for them.

They'll exit the All-Star break and restart their season Wednesday at Chicago — where Faber made his NHL debut 10 months ago — seven points back of a playoff spot.

But that is Faber's focus.

He always wanted to see the Wild win a Stanley Cup. Now he can take matters into his own hands.

"I'm happy to be here, and this is again everything I ever imagined," Faber said. "It's now onto the next goal."

From the comforts of home, no less.

Faber stays in touch with his roommates from college, and it's a 25-minute drive back to Maple Grove.

Jay and Karri are at every Wild game in St. Paul; whenever they spot someone wearing a Faber jersey, they figure the person must be a relative.

"I'll be watching the game," Karri said, "and then all of a sudden they'll show him on the big screen and I'll be like, 'Wait a minute. That's Brock up there.' Then it kind of hits you, 'Oh my gosh, he's playing at the Xcel for the Minnesota Wild.'"

Being from here and playing here could mean pressure, but not to Faber.

He believes this is an honor and a privilege and that he has to work as hard as he can to check that next box.

Based on his track record, his wishes don't always stay wishes. Look what he's already made come true.

"Minnesota is my favorite place on Earth, obviously," Faber said. "Being able to not only play for the Minnesota Wild, which was always my dream growing up, but to be able to do it in front of so many family and friends that are also close by, it's definitely something I don't get sick of. It's definitely something I don't take for granted.

"It's still surreal, and I don't see that feeling ever really ending."