By Kalisha Turnipseed -
The Minnesota Wild are going into the summer with an opportunity to build around Kirill Kaprizov, Matt Boldy, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Brock Faber. In recent days we've discussed ways Bill Guerin can build a bigger blue line, but he also needs to upgrade their size and talent at the forward spots, as well.
The Los Angeles Kings have expendable young talent and the Wild can use it for special teams' purposes. Riley Heidt, Danila Yurov, and Liam Öhgren are prospects who could make the Wild roster next fall, but they’re inexperienced young players. Minnesota should seek experienced youth to support Kaprizov, Boldy, and Eriksson Ek in the trade market.
The Wild should target Arthur Kaliyev (6-foot-2, 209 lbs.) and Mikhail Maltsev (6-foot-3, 200 lbs.) to improve their youth, size, and depth at forward. Kaliyev played with Boldy and Faber in the Under-18 United States National Development Program (U-18 USNDP). Kaliyev is ready to dominate the power play with Kaprizov and can develop into the Wild’s version of prime Thomas Vanek.
LA selected Kaliyev 33rd overall in the 2019 NHL Draft. He was rated a top-ten prospect by some due to his offensive skills, but his defensive game held him back. However, there’s room for improvement.
Maltsev is a less-known commodity, but is intriguing as well. The New Jersey Devils selected Maltsev 102nd overall in 2016, but they traded him to the Colorado Avalanche for Ryan Graves in July 2021. Maltsev then signed with the Kings as a free agent in July of 2023.
So far, Maltsev has played 56 NHL games over three seasons and only has produced 9 points out of it. He’s playing top center for the Spartak Moskva of the KHL as a loan and has 11 points in 16 games. He'll be a Restricted Free Agent (RFA) this summer. He can fulfill a bottom-six role but can play on the power play because he does possess offensive skills.
Minnesota wants to build around Kaprizov as much as possible, and Kaliyev’s shot could be lethal with Kaprizov passing to him. As deadly as a goal-scorer as Kaprizov is, we also need to remember that he's a great playmaker. He had a career-high 61 assists in 2021-22 and has 170 assists in 277 games overall. Kaliyev’s presence could help Kaprizov reach a new career high. Kaliyev is known for playing along the half wall on the power play, where he loves to shoot.
By placing Kaliyev on the power play, the Wild can take attention off Kaprizov. Eriksson Ek’s net-front presence will help weaponize Kaliyev’s shot more. Mats Zuccarello can be along for the ride. Kaliyev would move Boldy to the second power-play unit alongside Heidt, Yurov, Öhgren in the long-term, giving Minnesota a lethal second unit.
At 5-on-5, Kaliyev can play with Boldy, who could use a sniper with a lethal release on his line. Yurov could eventually center Kaliyev and Boldy, which should make up a dangerous scoring line. Perhaps Boldy and Yurov could potentially duplicate Kevin Fiala and Boldy's chemistry. But once you add a sniper like Kaliyev to the mix, you're suddenly looking at a line that John Hynes can rely on for scoring. Yurov and Boldy are two-way forwards, which only helps Kaliyev improve his defensive game.
Maltsev has underrated offensive talent who can help bring versatility and perform on the power play if needed. He is a transition player with offensive talent to complement his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame. He plays a mix of Eriksson Ek and Boldy’s styles. Maltsev has the skill to play with Kaprizov if needed, which could make him another Ryan Hartman-like player at a bargain price in his second NHL stint.
Maltsev is making $775,000 and will be an RFA. Guerin can sign Maltsev to a contract similar to Frederick Gaudreau's $1.2 million cap hit during his first term, which helps more prospects develop instead of being rushed. Maltsev is capable of playing on the power play as a net-front presence or playmaker from the half wall. He can also be reliable injury insurance on the power play and play on the penalty kill.
Maltsev can center Marat Khusnutdinov and Ohgren, who are becoming a dynamic duo. Khusnutdinov and Ohgren play similar styles built around forechecking to get pucks on net. Adding a big center like Maltsev can create a new shutdown line for the Wild. The Wild’s average age in the top-nine is 23, which includes Heidt playing with Kaprizov.
Having this kind of depth at center would allow Heidt to slot in in as a winger, helping him translates his WHL production to the NHL on a top line. Playing with Eriksson Ek, who can do the dirty work around the net and boards to complement Kaprizov and Heidt offensively, only makes Heidt more of a dangerous threat to score because Kaprizov will empower him.
The Wild would have to roll a line of Zuccarello, Hartman, and Marcus Foligno as their safety net of veterans who can be a fourth scoring line. That helps reduce their ice time because it allows Hartman to play more disciplined hockey, Foligno to play 82 games, and Zuccarello to add offense. Hartman and Zuccarello have shown good chemistry, and Foligno will protect Zuccarello.
The Wild can convince Marcus Johansson to waive his No-Trade Clause and Gaudreau to waive his Modified No-Trade Clause. However, the Kings aren’t going to surrender young talent to get Johansson and Gaudreau. The Wild will likely have to give up multiple young players and prospects like Declan Chisholm, Vladislav Firstov, Rieger Lorenz, or Adam Beckman to balance things out. But it’s worth it to reunite Boldy and Faber with Kaliyev and for Maltsev to provide center depth. However much you like Firstov, Lorenz, and Beckman, they can’t play center.
The Kings can be the Wild's ticket to getting a bigger team to support Marc-Andre Fleury and Jesper Wallstedt. Their core four of Kaprizov, Boldy, Eriksson Ek, and Faber would remain in place. Adding that size up front would make that core more comfortable to produce against the bigger teams in the NHL. Accomplishing that may mean they can surprise the NHL and compete with the top teams in the West.
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