Article: Kirill Kaprizov Is Cementing His Reputation As An Avalanche Killer

[Tony Abbott]

View full article

[Citizen Strife]

The Wild had no choice.  Games like this are stark reminders what the Wild lacked for those Parise/Suter years: elite, gane-breaking players.  Kap and Boldy were the offensive heroes last night, and are doing it on a near nightly basis.

Sure, $17m might be a cool thing to have held onto, but teams are hoarding their stars like prized jewelry.  No free agent (getting less and less by the day) is worth what these two are doing.

If other teams eventually see the Wild be winners, the tide could turn, and a good trade target will look at the Wild favorably...for once.

Edited November 29 by Citizen Strife

[Patrick]

There is no question that the Wild overpayed. The size of overpayment is the shocking part.

It also shows that KK doesn't care about winning as much as money. He isn't the massive superstar MN Wild fans think he is but he is good enough to build a cup team around and fortunately it looks like BG is doing just that.

[OldDutchChip]

53 minutes ago, Patrick said:

There is no question that the Wild overpayed. The size of overpayment is the shocking part.

It also shows that KK doesn't care about winning as much as money. He isn't the massive superstar MN Wild fans think he is but he is good enough to build a cup team around and fortunately it looks like BG is doing just that.

  

[Up North Guy]

1 hour ago, Patrick said:

It also shows that KK doesn't care about winning as much as money. He isn't the massive superstar MN Wild fans think he is but he is good enough to build a cup team around and fortunately it looks like BG is doing just that.

Pretty crazy assumptions there. Did they overpay? Yup. Did the market for stars crater after they signed him? yup again. What is done is done. Time to find another meme to hang your hat on.

[Citizen Strife]

1 hour ago, Patrick said:

There is no question that the Wild overpayed. The size of overpayment is the shocking part.

It also shows that KK doesn't care about winning as much as money. He isn't the massive superstar MN Wild fans think he is but he is good enough to build a cup team around and fortunately it looks like BG is doing just that.

Cool.  What team is gonna trade their superstar or two for what the Wild have that you claim they are missing?  What Iowa prospect is gonna replace Kap for free?  What free agent that hasn't been re-signed to their team already is gonna pick the Wild with the money Kap took?

Is a potential doomed team gonna trade a star for anything less than Rossi, Yurov, or Buium?  It may not end up worth it barring a stupidly obvious elite player like Rantanen (highly unlikely).

The new NHL is "just keep everyone and screw everyone else ". Kap is the Wild's best player.  Sorry the Wild didn't tank for McKenna instead.

 

Edited November 29 by Citizen Strife

[Imyourhuckleberry]

3 hours ago, Patrick said:

It also shows that KK doesn't care about winning as much as money. He isn't the massive superstar MN Wild fans think he is but he is good enough to build a cup team around and fortunately it looks like BG is doing just that.

Yes, the Wild overpaid by perhaps $2M, but if he is good enough to build a cup team around, then perhaps he is a massive star.

[Beast]

Keeping him healthy, and at the right time, is the key.  There’s no question about how good he is when on the ice.

This isn’t a destination.  It’s been a team stuck in limbo for 20 years.  They were going to have to overpay anyone to come/stay here this offseason.  Hence no Christmas in July.

I think there’s an opportunity to change that with the continued emergence of Boldy as a second elite scoring option, improved special teams, two dynamic young defenseman, and a stud goalie (to pair with another).  If things keep progressing the way we hope, the bones of a serious Cup contender may be starting to materialize.

Maybe if we were nearer the end of that process, and had some playoff wins under our belt, we would’ve gotten Kaprizov at a discount.  

[Quebec1648]

The Wild have been doing great since Zuccarello returned, so that should be factored into things as well. How does Kaprizov fare with and without Zuccarello? Zuccarello is 38, while Kaprizov signed an 8 year deal. What happens when Kaprizov no longer has Zuccarello as his best friend and teammate?

Kaprizov is a quality player, but he also greatly benefits from the presence of his buddy Zuccarello. The Wild need to find the next Zuccarello or someone even better to serve as Kaprizovs line buddy.

I continue to support the ideal of Bill Guerin making a deal with Ottowa for Brady Tkachuk. I firmly believe a Kaprizov - Tkachuk combo could be just as good or even better than the Kaprizov - Zuccarello one. I would gladly trade Rossi as part of a deal to get Brady Tkachuk and maybe even unload Spurgeon to offset the salary cap crunch.

[FredJohnson]

2 hours ago, Quebec1648 said:

The Wild have been doing great since Zuccarello returned, so that should be factored into things as well. How does Kaprizov fare with and without Zuccarello? Zuccarello is 38, while Kaprizov signed an 8 year deal. What happens when Kaprizov no longer has Zuccarello as his best friend and teammate?

Kaprizov is a quality player, but he also greatly benefits from the presence of his buddy Zuccarello. The Wild need to find the next Zuccarello or someone even better to serve as Kaprizovs line buddy.

I continue to support the ideal of Bill Guerin making a deal with Ottowa for Brady Tkachuk. I firmly believe a Kaprizov - Tkachuk combo could be just as good or even better than the Kaprizov - Zuccarello one. I would gladly trade Rossi as part of a deal to get Brady Tkachuk and maybe even unload Spurgeon to offset the salary cap crunch.

Depends on what Ottawa wants.

[Patrick]

5 hours ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

Yes, the Wild overpaid by perhaps $2M, but if he is good enough to build a cup team around, then perhaps he is a massive star.

More like $4 million. He is mediocre defensively and doesn't kill penalties. There are 10-15 guys in the NHL more valuable. 

[MNCountryLife]

More than anything...Kirill is a goal scorer and winner.   His compete level and ability to execute in critical moments is off the charts. Pair that with a team that knows how to play D and you have something. 

[MNCountryLife]

I know people like to say we don't have a #1 center.   But with the addition of Sturm and Yurov, the Wild now have 4 disciplined centers that all have a 200 foot game. Rossi, Ek, Yurov and Sturm.  We may not have the elite offensive playmaker at that position.....but they are all capable offensively and elite defensively.    We can shut down deep teams and elite offensive teams.

Our center backups of Hartman and Trenin are also more than capable of quality minutes at the center position.  Don't look now. ... but we are a strong team down the middle.

[SkolWild73]

4 minutes ago, MNCountryLife said:

I know people like to say we don't have a #1 center.   But with the addition of Sturm and Yurov, the Wild now have 4 disciplined centers that all have a 200 foot game. Rossi, Ek, Yurov and Sturm.  We may not have the elite offensive playmaker at that position.....but they are all capable offensively and elite defensively.    We can shut down deep teams and elite offensive teams.

Our center backups of Hartman and Trenin are also more than capable of quality minutes at the center position.  Don't look now. ... but we are a strong team down the middle.

And Stramel is looking good this year at Michigan State with 17 points in 14 games.  He may never be a stud player, but should be able to slide into 4C or 3C fairly quickly

[MNCountryLife]

36 minutes ago, Patrick said:

More like $4 million. He is mediocre defensively and doesn't kill penalties. There are 10-15 guys in the NHL more valuable

Not a single one of those 10-15 guys are with the Wild...nor will they ever be... teams don't give those guys up.  BG did what he had to to keep the best player we have ever had.  We are definitely better with him. Glad we got him. 

[MNCountryLife]

1 minute ago, SkolWild73 said:

And Stramel is looking good this year at Michigan State with 17 points in 14 games.  He may never be a stud player, but should be able to slide into 4C or 3C fairly quickly

That would be awesome.   

[Pablo]

9 hours ago, Patrick said:

There is no question that the Wild overpayed. 

The only people that care about that is the owners of NHL franchises. In 3 years when the cap goes up $10-16M, no one will still care. 
If/when the Wild win the cup in the next 4 years, maybe twice…. Kk’s contract will age as a bargain. And no one will care. 

[Burnt Toast]

3 hours ago, Quebec1648 said:

Guerin making a deal with Ottowa for Brady Tkachuk.

I’ve done some research including this scenario. I keep running into a three letter code. ODC. I’m still trying to unlock the meaning behind this enigmatic and unique reference. 

Edited November 30 by Burnt Toast
Spelling

[Beast]

Let’s be honest.  Nobody associated with the Avs have given the Wild much thought.  They’ve been playing for Cups.  We’ve playing for moral victories and early tee times in Arizona.

To be an Avs killer, you have to kill them.  Scoring 3 points in a game in November concerns nobody in Denver.

[FredJohnson]

On 11/29/2025 at 9:33 AM, Up North Guy said:

Time to find another meme to hang your hatE on.

Fixed it for ya.

[mnfaninnc]

On 11/29/2025 at 3:59 PM, Quebec1648 said:

I continue to support the ideal of Bill Guerin making a deal with Ottowa for Brady Tkachuk. I firmly believe a Kaprizov - Tkachuk combo could be just as good or even better than the Kaprizov - Zuccarello one. I would gladly trade Rossi as part of a deal to get Brady Tkachuk and maybe even unload Spurgeon to offset the salary cap crunch.

While I also support this thought, and was the 1st to bring it up a couple of offseasons ago, I don't think he's going anywhere. The point is, if you had Brady or Matthew, would you trade them? Calgary didn't want to, he just refused to resign longterm for them. 

Things may change, but I think he liked the direction they took last season. He's been hurt this season which is a pretty big piece missing. I think it will be pretty hard to pry him loose unless he wants to.

[mnfaninnc]

One of the reason for the goals and points being skewed towards Colorado was that in the Covid year, when Kap was a rookie, they played 8 times. Under the stats Tony uses, he combined regular season and playoffs. 

We haven't had a series against Colorado in a long time, so those are strictly regular season numbers against them. I think you'll find that as Boldy gets better, Kaps numbers will also rise a bit barring injury because now they have to defend 2 guys. 

As for Zuccarello, it is true that they see the game the same way. However, I think Kaprizov also works really well with Boldy, and Yurov does not look out of place. But, if that's what happens after Zuccy, we have a whole 2nd line that needs assembling. As MNCL suggested above, we have the centers for this. That means 2 wingers must be found, either internally or externally. My hope would be that they would be within the '20-23 draft windows. 

I see a scenario where Boldy becomes even better and The Wall, Buium and Yurov improve, where we are stricken off of NTC lists and looked favorably upon NMC waives.

I also thought Tarasenko had way more jump than he did before leaving the lineup. I didn't like him as a choice (4th) for taking a shootout chance, but I did think his game looked better. I think I would have chosen Buium for the 4th chance simply because nobody had any notes on him for that chance. Tarasenko does not look very good as an option, I don't remember what his stats were in prior years. 

[B1GKappa97]

Kirill kills any team he goes up against. Dude's a beast. 

WELL WORTH HIS CONTRACT PATTY 

[MNCountryLife]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

I also thought Tarasenko had way more jump than he did before leaving the lineup. I didn't like him as a choice (4th) for taking a shootout chance, but I did think his game looked better. I think I would have chosen Buium for the 4th chance simply because nobody had any notes on him for that chance. Tarasenko does not look very good as an option, I don't remember what his stats were in prior years. 

Agree on Tarasenko.  He looked better.  Although I wouldn't elevate him to 2nd line status.  He looked more comfortable with the bangers.

Interesting idea for Buium as the 4th shooter.  I also would have put Ek, Hartman and Yurov above Tarasenko.  

[mnfaninnc]

21 hours ago, MNCountryLife said:

Interesting idea for Buium as the 4th shooter.  I also would have put Ek, Hartman and Yurov above Tarasenko.

Of course, under normal circumstances, Rossi is the 4th shooter.