Kaprizov Could Come Back With a Vengeance

Kirill Kaprizov spent a good amount of time last season playing through an injury. It was obvious, especially when he came back from some time off and looked more like the superstar he usually is. With a longer-than-usual time off to heal, Kaprizov should be back in top shape and ready to make a bigger push to the playoffs.

Last Season

During the 2023-24 season, Kaprizov put up 96 points (46 goals and 50 assists) despite being injured for a good chunk of it. That put him at a 1.28 point per game percentage, which came close to his best 1.33 point per game percentage during the 2021-22 season. That shows his determination to win, no matter what.

Kaprizov was also named Alternate Captain last year and he seemed to take it very seriously. While it’s unknown how vocal he is in the locker room compared to the Wild’s other Alternate Captain Marcus Foligno, he is a leader on the ice. No matter how a game is going, Kaprizov never gives up. Even once the Wild were out of the playoff running, Kaprizov still played each game, each shift like they still had a chance.

Strengths

There are so many to choose from that this article could go on all day. Instead, let’s focus on his unstoppable drive to win. He can score, he’s physical, and he can skate circles around other players, but what makes Kaprizov a superstar is his ability to take everything to another level. Wild fans can practically pinpoint the moment in the third period of a losing game when Kaprizov puts the team on his back and singlehandedly gets the team back in the game.

Weaknesses

Kaprizov’s ‘win at all costs’ mentality is great when it comes to being a leader, but can also come back to bite him. Fans have seen him battle a few injuries with a range of seriousness and he has to practically be restrained from playing a game when he’s trying to recover from an injury. As he continues to grow into his role as a leader, Kaprizov needs to know when to rest and recover. As hard as it was to have Captain Jared Spurgeon out for almost the entire season, it was a good way to model how players need to deal with injuries. (On a side note, hopefully, Spurgeon’s absence last year means he can play through the remainder of his contract being healthy.)

Next Season

After last season ended without a playoff run, Kaprizov is going to start this season hungry to win. It would be great if somehow Kaprizov could take his game to an entirely new level for the entire season-long because his will to win is just so high. Could he manage to top his previous career-best stats? It wouldn’t be a surprise. So far, his career-high goals were 47 (almost matched by last season’s 46), 61 assists, and 108 points total. If he can stay healthy and if Head Coach John Hynes keeps him with Joel Eriksson Ek and Matt Boldy, he might pass all of those stats for an incredible career year.

For more Minnesota Wild news and vibe checks, listen to Her Wild Side Hockey Podcast.

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