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By Kalisha Turnipseed -
Kirill Kaprizov has two seasons left on his contract with the Minnesota Wild. The Wild need to have a good start to the season and become a playoff team again so that Kaprizov stays in Minnesota.
Bill Guerin feels confident that this team can make a push because he has retained most of the roster and is betting on a bounce-back season. Kaprizov has a no-move clause (NMC), giving him control over where he plays. If he doesn't sign in Minnesota, Kaprizov could waive it to join five contending teams that are one piece away from making a run.
Carolina Hurricanes
Target: Seth Jarvis package
Most likely
The Hurricanes are a deeper version of the Wild. They have more skill, gritty defense, and better goaltending. However, Carolina has run into better goaltending in the playoffs, preventing them from going on a run.
Kaprizov can put them over the edge. In Carolina, Kaprizov would play with another ace center in Sebastian Aho. Kaprizov would also partner with fellow Russian Andrei Schennikov. Kaprizov is a better offensive player than Schennikov. Schennikov plays similarly to Eriksson Ek if he were a wing but with more flash.
Jarvis is 22 and is already an established 30-goal scorer for the Hurricanes. He can play center and wing but has been playing wing for the Hurricanes. If anything, he could continue to play wing in Minnesota, or the Wild can try to transition Jarvis to center as a right-handed shot. The Ryan Hartman experiment at center worked for a while.
Jarvis is far more skilled than Hartman and can make a first-line impact. What if Jarvis centers Matt Boldy and Danila Yurov? That leaves Eriksson Ek centering the second line with Marco Rossi and potentially Riley Heidt. Or the Wild could sign Alex Tuch as a free agent if Heidt struggles as a top-six producer because Tuch’s contract expires when Kaprizov does.
New Jersey Devils
Target: Dawson Mercer package
Most likely
After recently acquiring Timo Meier and Jacob Markstrom, New Jersey is ready to make a Stanley Cup run. The Devils are one piece away from becoming a contender, and they have a lot of young players who the Wild could target in a trade.
Mercer has high-end skill and can play all three positions. He’s a top-six talent who shoots right-handed. The Wild will likely be able to target another prospect, such as Simon Nemec, who can eventually replace Jared Spurgeon. Experts project Nemec to become a star producer offensively.
Kaprizov would likely waive his no-trade clause to play with Jack Hughes. With Kaprizov, the Devils would have all the pieces to make a deep run, plus two Hart trophy-worthy candidates in Kaprizov and Hughes. The Wild have the chance to improve their prospect pool by bringing in NHL-ready talent who will be ready to make noise after contracts expire.
Boston Bruins
Target: Pavel Zacha package plus
Most likely
Brad Marchand will be off the books and need a replacement. Even if the Bruins extend Marchand, it'll be a team-friendly discount. However, they would still need a superstar to play on the top line with David Pastrnak to maximize their offense.
The Wild will likely retain the salary from Kaprizov’s contract, which means that they will be able to get more in return. The Wild should target big center Zacha, who can play a middle-six role while prospects develop. Zacha isn't the prized possession in the package, but he’s a playoff piece.
A Kaprizov trade to the Bruins resembles the Pierre-Luc Dubois trade from the Winnipeg Jets to the Kings. Quantity isn't everything; you'd rather have quality. Boston has two quality prospects: center Matthew Poitras and right wing Fabian Lysell. Lysell has struggled to adjust to the NHL but is only 21. If he can take the next step, Lysell will likely become a better version of Marcus Johansson.
The Wild need centers, and Poitras fits the description. However, he's a right-handed shot. Behind Eriksson Ek, the Wild have a range of top-six potential centers from Marco Rossi, Yurov, and Riley Heidt. By trading Kaprizov to the Bruins, they would add Poitras to the equation. He'll likely become a winger unless the Wild put Eriksson Ek into a checking role and make another scoring line.
Los Angeles Kings
Target: Quinton Byfield package
Likely
The Wild are trying to improve their size up front. The Wild should make a better GREEF line by targeting Byfield to play with Boldy and Eriksson Ek. Together, they will form the “BEEM” line like a laser beam of hits. They can play the most minutes and take on the physical battles. It would remove the physical burden from Marco Rossi to create offense with Yurov. If Heidt doesn't pan out as a top-six winger, Tuch can be the last forward in the top-six, making the Wild more effective because of this line’s size.
Byfield is expected to take an offensive leap this season after he signed a five-year extension with a $6.25 million cap hit. The Kings may refuse to give up Byfield for Kaprizov, but Los Angeles has no other appealing pieces worthy of being a centerpiece in a Kaprizov trade. Old friend Kevin Fiala has an NMC.
Dallas Stars
Target: Jason Robertson
Least likely
Like with the Colorado Avalanche and Cale Makar, the Stars are unlikely to send Robertson to Minnesota in a Kaprizov trade. Dallas is a bigger rival with the Wild than the Avs.
But what if the Stars seriously wanted Kaprizov, and Kaprizov was willing to come to Dallas? If the Stars want to keep Robertson and play him with Kaprizov, then the Wild can retain salary by targeting Wyatt Johnston or Logan Stankoven in a package.
The Wild can take advantage if they fail to trade for Robertson. Minnesota can use centers more than anything, and Johnston is a top-six fit. Johnston's point production is trending upward, and he's a right-handed center. Johnston had 24 goals in his rookie season and is coming off a 32-goal season last year. Who knows how many goals Johnston will score this year?
The Wild are under a lot of pressure as they approach the remaining two seasons of Kaprizov's contract. The team's success in the early part of the season and its ability to maintain momentum will be crucial in convincing Kaprizov to remain with the Wild. Guerin's confidence should be reassuring to Kaprizov. But if things don't work out eventually, expect Kaprizov to pursue the Cup elsewhere.
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