ST. PAUL, Minnesota — Kirill Kaprizov, a standout player for the Minnesota Wild, is facing surgery for a persistent lower-body injury that has kept him sidelined recently. The general manager, Bill Guerin, announced during a practice session on Tuesday that Kaprizov will be unavailable for a minimum of one month. Although Guerin expressed confidence that Kaprizov would return later this season, the Wild now must find ways to adjust for the loss of their top scorer and well-liked teammate.
“Kirill was having a Hart Trophy-worthy season. This is tough for him and for us as well. Nevertheless, we’ve positioned ourselves well in the standings with our recent performances, and we just need to manage this situation,” Guerin noted. “This is not the end of the world. We will continue to improve, and when Kirill is fully recovered, we’ll be in an even stronger position.”
The impact of Kaprizov’s absence may be slightly alleviated by the NHL’s upcoming two-week halt for the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament next month. If he were to make a comeback in four weeks, he would potentially miss only about ten games. However, the team plans to exercise extra caution with the recovery of the 27-year-old forward, who has achieved an impressive tally of 23 goals and 29 assists over 37 games this season.
“Kirill is understandably very upset. He is a team-oriented player, and he recognizes that he could likely push through and contribute, even at less than full strength. Even at 60%, he would outperform many players in the league, but his goal is to be completely healthy so he can help the team for as long as possible this season. I share that sentiment,” Guerin explained. “It’s important for players not to try to push themselves in situations like this, as it could lead to further injuries. The right approach is to take the necessary time off to resolve the issue and ensure he returns at full capacity.”
Kaprizov had missed 12 games over the previous month but made his return to the lineup last week. Unfortunately, he did not appear to be at his best during his three games played.
“Even while sitting on the bench at times, he was clearly struggling. We did everything we could to support him, but it wasn’t effective,” said head coach John Hynes.
Recently, the Wild secured a victory against Chicago on Sunday, marking the beginning of a stretch of five consecutive games. However, they have faced challenges lately, having lost six of their last nine matchups, with a record of 9-11 since the middle of December. As they head into the clash against the Atlantic Division-leading Toronto on Wednesday, Minnesota holds a record of 29-17-4, placing them third in the Central Division. Notably, they also maintain the best road record in the NHL at 18-5-3.
“I’m pleased with how the team is performing overall. Perfection is not a standard we can achieve; there will always be ups and downs throughout the season,” Guerin remarked. “Our objective is to play our best, but maintaining control during the fluctuations of the season is crucial. We’re currently in a beneficial position, and we need to keep it up.”
