Article: What Would A Post-Kaprizov Minnesota Wild Team Look Like?

[Citizen Strife]

I never really talk about anyone's size as a detriment.  Size has its place and benefits, but give me talent.  If they have talent, it can leap off the screen.

Edited September 15 by Citizen Strife

[Mateo3xm]

On 9/14/2025 at 5:50 PM, Pewterschmidt said:

Pewter’s Prospect Prognostications:
If you were hoping for yurov to make a contribution this season, you’re going to be disappointed.  Think Rossi in his first 19 games (1 pt).  Nothing dynamic.  No dawg.  No vision.  Punted the puck more than once.  And this is against 18&19 year old invitees.  He’ll get TOI with big club but it won’t be pretty. 
Haight showed a pulse tonight but he’s not ready either.  Heidt is less ready than Haight. 

Benak again stood out.  Assisted on game winner.  Stole puck on offensive end board and silver plattered it for a tap in.  Kid is our Stankoven.  Coaches put him on 1st line with yurov and Haight today. 
Amidovski looks like he could become a middle six forward. Good size and scored again today on a breakaway he created.  
Masters is a big body but I’m not sure he’s got ‘it’ to make pro.  

I don’t think you can properly evaluate a player off of a few prospect games. He broke the Khl U20 scoring record which is the second best league in the world. He beat Kaprizov, Kuznetsov, Tarasanko, Panarin etc in their u20 year. Last year he was coming off of surgery and they cut his minutes because they knew he was coming over here. Go read russos recent article about him and what Kreider had to say about Yurov. He has way more talent than you’re saying. He’s got a great shot, very good skater and playmaker and he’s defensively responsible and smart. He needs time to adjust to the American sized rink

Also are you talking about a different masters? Because he’s 6ft, not what I would call a big body.

[Mateo3xm]

11 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

As long as we’re piling on undersized players:

haight

heidt

 and (gasp) yurov

 are all fun-sized skaters

Benak is fun-sized mini but he got that dawg in him and his hockey sense and hands are elite.  You know how whenever 97 gets in trouble he’s always able to put puck on teammates stick.  Never eats the puck or punts it.  Benak has that skill too.  Cool as cucumber out there.  

Yurov is 6ft 1in. He needs to fill out for sure be he has a perfect nhl frame for a forward. I’m certain you really don’t have a clue what you’re talking about most of the time but for some people on here eat it up lol.

[FredJohnson]

On 9/14/2025 at 5:41 PM, Patrick said:

If he turned down the contract (and we don't know its true) because he wants more money, I say trade him ASAP.

He has a No Trade Clause so he has to wave that (he'll pick his team).

[Citizen Strife]

Kap can decide to fuck the Wild over and do nothing if he wanted to.  He and his agent have all the leverage.  The only recourse the Wild have is, "Well, get injured, you lose the nest egg.  Don't say we didn't try"

[Pewterschmidt]

8 hours ago, Mateo3xm said:

Yurov is 6ft 1in. He needs to fill out for sure be he has a perfect nhl frame for a forward. I’m certain you really don’t have a clue what you’re talking about most of the time but for some people on here eat it up lol.

I said strife would say this.  I meant Mateo. 

[Mateo3xm]

4 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

I said strife would say this.  I meant Mateo. 

I knew you mentioned me 😂

[Patrick]

17 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

He has a No Trade Clause so he has to wave that (he'll pick his team).

Yeah. Terrible move by BG to hand out so many NTCs 

[hydguy75]

What Would A Post-Kaprizov Minnesota Wild Team Look Like?

To me the only answer should be it is the year 2035, retiring both Kaprizov and #97 sweater, leaving a 3-cup championship dynasty finally brought to the State of Hockey.  Roster is peppered with some of our current pipeline projections.  Perhaps it will be the renaming to Grand Casino Arena that brings in a dash of luck.  

... and now returning back to regularly scheduled reality.  

 

[Pewterschmidt]

7 minutes ago, hydguy75 said:

What Would A Post-Kaprizov Minnesota Wild Team Look Like?

To me the only answer should be it is the year 2035, retiring both Kaprizov and #97 sweater, leaving a 3-cup championship dynasty finally brought to the State of Hockey.  Roster is peppered with some of our current pipeline projections.  Perhaps it will be the renaming to Grand Casino Arena that brings in a dash of luck.  

... and now returning back to regularly scheduled reality.  

 

P-Dawg's take at the end of last season's first round exit was that this group was at least two legit NHL top 6'rs away from relevance.  What's happened since then?  We've signed Tarasenko and we've gotten a sneak peak of our most prized forward prospects (Yurov, Haight, Ogz and why not Bankier).

P-Pants prognosis: None of the forward prospects will make a meaningful contribution this season.  But P-Slaps Ogz took that homo-erotic pic that looks like he's adding muscle.  Muscle does not equal hockey sense or playmaking ability.  Ogz ceiling will be Nino 2.0 in about 4 years.  Yurov belongs in Iowa for at least a full season.  Haight might need two more years.  Bankier is the new Adam Beckman.

So that leaves Tarasenko.  Ok let's assume he's re-born and puts up 20G 20A (most on PP) this year.  Ok that's one top 6'r.

What top 6 wing do we add at the deadline when bill trade's Rossi?

[NoJoSux]

I too think the Wild have just a couple potential outcomes that could make them successful for this year. (Apart from health, lack of injuries, etc.)

1.  Pick up another talent for the scoring depth and top end punch. (Like Pewter has eluded to.)

2. Get depth scoring from the new or unexpected places like Ogie, Trenin, Tarasenko, Yurov, Foligno, Buium, Faber, Vinnie, or some other guys who weren't with the team, or who didn't score a bunch for the Wild last year. 

That might sound too simple, but I really think it is. If NoJo-type players who phone it in get replaced with young guys capable of adding some offense and winning energy, the Wild will be a more dangerous club. Buium, Yurov, and Ogie all have some potential to chip in a handful of goals. By comparison to the bottom-six guys from the past few years, 5-10 goals each between a faster group would be huge if the defense stays the same. MN showed last season that they can be very good. Hard to beat. Fast and capable of putting the puck in the net. 

The areas where they're weak was in their overall scoring depth, toughness or speed & skill to overcome it, and chemistry/confidence. When they were rolling and healthy, they had some synergy-gel cookin. When they slowed down and lost identity, looking for answers, they struggled and couldn't maintain a good positive goal differential.  

I think MN is good but the Central is a gauntlet. If they ever needed big seasons from Foligno, Hartzy, Zuccy, Tarasenko, Trenin, Vinnie, and a Rookie, now is the time...

[MNCountryLife]

2 hours ago, Pewterschmidt said:

P-Dawg's take at the end of last season's first round exit was that this group was at least two legit NHL top 6'rs away from relevance.

I fully agree with that statement.... and no, Tarasenko is not the answer.  I do think BG is counting on two young guys stepping up.  But that will be a year or two maybe three years away yet.  Yurov needs to adjust and Ohgren is an unknown. If we are truly building through the draft we need some youth development luck.  I had hopes that we could sign 1 of the 2 this summer but that didn't happen.  Kirill wanting $16M Plus makes it even more difficult.  It all but eliminates the free agency possibilities and relegates us to building through the draft....and we need Spurgeon, Zuc and Tara contracts to expire to probably sign the young guys on for a longer period.  

Maybe we get lucky and snag a top 6 at the TDL.

[NoJoSux]

I am optimistic on Tarasenko. I remember when the Wild got Staal for 3M and people generally thought he'd be an upgrade with a Cup and playoff experience, but he went on to score 40 goals. Nice surprise. 

Not saying I think #91 will pot forty goals, but I think he can easily score twenty with the Wild in a better role than during his time in Ottawa, Florida where he was in a true depth role, or Detroit where it wasn't a fit. Obviously, the Florida stint was successful, especially the playoffs. 

I don't think MN fans should turn their nose up at Tarasenko, who has had success playing in the Central.  

[Up North Guy]

18 hours ago, NoJoSux said:

I am optimistic on Tarasenko. I remember when the Wild got Staal for 3M and people generally thought he'd be an upgrade with a Cup and playoff experience, but he went on to score 40 goals. Nice surprise. 

Not saying I think #91 will pot forty goals, but I think he can easily score twenty with the Wild in a better role than during his time in Ottawa, Florida where he was in a true depth role, or Detroit where it wasn't a fit. Obviously, the Florida stint was successful, especially the playoffs. 

I don't think MN fans should turn their nose up at Tarasenko, who has had success playing in the Central.  

I agree on Tarasenko being better than he has shown recently. The hope has to be that he is more aggressive in goal scoring and stays healthy.