By Kalisha Turnipseed -
Marat Khusnutdinov has officially arrived, and everyone can’t help but be excited, especially Kirill Kaprizov. Minnesota Wild fans need to realize the impact Khusnutdinov will make in the locker room and on the ice. Much like how Brock Faber has shown the willingness and determination to be a star-studded player, now we get to witness Khusnutdinov showing that impact to improve the Wild’s consistency. Khusnutdinov will become the player no one can live without.
Before Khusnutdinov's arrival, he called head coach John Hynes to request tapes to learn the Wild’s system. Khusnutdinov has the determination to be an impact player as a Selke-level center and the leadership to be a future captain. Khusnutdinov shows great dedication to the game due to his sacrifice, much like Joel Eriksson Ek has shown Wild fans. Khusnutdinov will create a spark once he's on the ice. Expect the rest of his linemates to also play with a jump due to his infectious energy. His mature style of game will only grow. He’s the definition of Captain Serious.
But let’s not get carried away with thinking Khusnutdinov’s going to be a juggernaut. Kaprizov is still Minnesota’s star player. However, it’s not unreasonable to believe Kaprizov and Khusnutdinov can become the Wild’s version of Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane. Kane was Batman for the Chicago Blackhawks when it came to production, and Toews was Robin in terms of production but was the team’s leader on their three Stanley Cup runs (2009-10, 2012-13, and 2014-15). Khusnutdinov should be Robin to Kaprizov’s Batman.
Why am I mentioning Toews?
Toews averaged 68 points in his career during the regular season and scored 0.87 points in his playoff career. On the other hand, Khusnutdinov is sitting at 0.48 points in 45 career playoff games. Don't let Khusnutdinov’s playoff stats scare you off. His defense rises above the occasion when needed the most.
Khusnutdinov will show us heart like never before. Anthony Cirelli of the Tampa Bay Lightning does a spectacular defensive job while complimenting high-end players with his speed and has two Stanley Cups. During the 2022-23 season, Khusnutdinov showed top-line potential when he scored 41 points (11 goals and 30 assists) in 63 games for SKA St.Petersburg (KHL). Good enough for a 65-point NHL rating.
It sounded like Khusnutdinov was on his way to breaking more records like Danila Yurov, who had a similar KHL experience but hardly played in 2023-24 due to SKA disrupting his development. Once SKA traded him to HK Sochi (KHL), he wasn't able to produce as much as he wanted, scoring 20 points (0 points in 6 games for SKA) in 55 games. His production decreased by 29% from 2022-23 to 2023-24. That has him sitting at a hair below top-six potential. His decline didn’t meaningfully impact his production, though.
Don't let the stats fool you. Khusnutdinov brings high-end creativity to a high-energy and responsible game. Doesn't matter if he won't become a great scorer. Toews showed his value as someone who didn’t back down from challenges, which led to three Stanley Cups. Sure, Kane was the flashier player who was a unique talent. But Toews showed unparalleled dedication with a creative skillset and excellent skating ability. While Toews had more size, Khusnutdinov doesn’t let his size control how he plays. Toews averaged 68 points, which is top-line value. That would be the high-end of what Khusnudinov could become in Minnesota, but he offers enough effort to maximize his skill set.
Boone Jenner is another comparison. The Columbus Blue Jackets drafted him 37th overall in 2011, and he became their top shutdown center. Can Khusnutdinov be a high-end version of Jenner? Khusnutdinov won't be as physically dominant, but he won't shy away from helping his team win games in every way. His defensive game is so strong that you can expect his offensive game to shine. He's intelligent, and he skates like he belongs. He's the kind of center Kaprizov needs down the middle.
The Wild currently are rolling with Matt Boldy, Eriksson Ek, and Kaprizov as the top line, but Khusnutdinov has game-breaking speed that Eriksson Ek and Marco Rossi don’t have. Nothing against what they bring offensively, but the team’s best offensive players need a center who can create similar skating chaos like Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid. Not only shut down lines but also produced offensively as the third string of offense with Kaprizov and Boldy. Top line made. However, that doesn’t mean that Eriksson Ek and Rossi can’t play in the top-six. You can convince Danila Yurov and Vladislav Firstov to come over, but they won’t impact the Wild this year.
Khusnutdinov needs to play in all situations to improve the Wild’s consistency. This will also help bring out the best in him. Khusnutdinov and Eriksson Ek can become one of the best penalty-killing duos in the NHL or have their separate unit. Aggressive forechecking to cause turnovers and capitalize on scoring chances by crashing the net. Khusnutdinov can bring life to the Wild’s powerplay by causing more pressure. The Wild will allow Khusnutdinov to transition into the league slowly, but he’s built to be a successful leader.
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