The Minnesota Wild Sign Kirill Kaprizov to 2-year deal

[CreaseAndAssist]

On 8/31/2020 at 4:32 PM, IllaZilla said:

Sure! I’ve been itching to do something other than all this COVID-19 response stuff...

 

@IllaZilla please DM me on Twitter and we can talk about that article.  

[Alexandron]

Interesting, if anyone from the Wild team is helping to Kaprizov in accommodation to Minnesota before the new season and a training camp will start. Hope, at least Galchenyuk or Sokolov who are able to speak Russian will try to explain many things around for him and hope, he is not alone in Twin Cities. Or maybe other players are involved into his quicker/faster accommodation here?  I am sure he is watching the current unpredictable playoffs series. But maybe someone will take him fishing too before the weather will be changed? Does the Wild team/organization has their own resorts in the Northern parts of Minnesota or they are renting them? 

[lynxrattle]

Ray Ferraro was also talking about the need to help foreign players in adjusting to the NHL and the life in North America. I think he compared it to something like think about how would you cope if you were suddenly dropped in Habarovsk, in the middle of Siberia.

[Gnarkill]

On 9/8/2020 at 11:51 AM, Alexandron said:

Interesting, if anyone from the Wild team is helping to Kaprizov in accommodation to Minnesota before the new season and a training camp will start. Hope, at least Galchenyuk or Sokolov who are able to speak Russian will try to explain many things around for him and hope, he is not alone in Twin Cities. Or maybe other players are involved into his quicker/faster accommodation here?  I am sure he is watching the current unpredictable playoffs series. But maybe someone will take him fishing too before the weather will be changed? Does the Wild team/organization has their own resorts in the Northern parts of Minnesota or they are renting them? 

 

I'm up north in Bemidji, MN and it seems like when anyone from any of the major MN sports teams or anyone that's athlete or celebrity comes up this way they've usually stayed at Ruttgers Birchmont Lodge on the lake. I don't know if they have a deal with the teams or if it's just the preferred vacation spot for fishing and stuff but that's where they're always at I have a friend that has a membership to work out and swim there and he meets all kinds of people(not so much this year obviously). Sadly, even though it's a beautiful spot to stay and they have private cabins and it's also on Lake Bemidji.. they could find better fishing in some of the low key lakes around here.. but Lake Bemidji is pretty darn decent! 

[Alexandron]

7 hours ago, Gnarkill said:

 

I'm up north in Bemidji, MN and it seems like when anyone from any of the major MN sports teams or anyone that's athlete or celebrity comes up this way they've usually stayed at Ruttgers Birchmont Lodge on the lake. I don't know if they have a deal with the teams or if it's just the preferred vacation spot for fishing and stuff but that's where they're always at I have a friend that has a membership to work out and swim there and he meets all kinds of people(not so much this year obviously). Sadly, even though it's a beautiful spot to stay and they have private cabins and it's also on Lake Bemidji.. they could find better fishing in some of the low key lakes around here.. but Lake Bemidji is pretty darn decent! 

Thanks for the info. Next week is going to be a perfect weather for fishing. Hope, someone from the Wild organization will find the time for Kirill Kaprizov to take him to the Lake Bemidji,MN and be able to show how beautiful is Minnesota as well as fishing there.

[CreaseAndAssist]

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the veteran players like Jared Spurgeon takes him in, sort of like Mario Lemieux did for Sidney Crosby.  It may help him continue to improve his lanague skills and acclimate to a new culture better.  But we'll see.  No doubt it will be a big change for him.  

[Alexandron]

14 hours ago, CreaseAndAssist said:

I wouldn't be surprised if one of the veteran players like Jared Spurgeon takes him in, sort of like Mario Lemieux did for Sidney Crosby.  It may help him continue to improve his lanague skills and acclimate to a new culture better.  But we'll see.  No doubt it will be a big change for him.  

Agree. Hope, some one will take care of him during next 2 months to improve his language before season will start. Maybe not only Spurgeon, but also Foligno. That person could stand for every player during the game and really merit to be the team Captain. At least the weather in Minnesota is similar to the weather in Russia where Kaprizov played for teams then.

[Alexandron]

Here is a fresh article (from yesterday) published at eprinkside.com regarding an adjustment period for Kirill Kaprizov who has all the makings of a NHL star:

https://www.eprinkside.com/2020/11/12/there-will-be-an-adjustment-period-but-kirill-kaprizov-has-all-the-makings-of-an-nhl-star

 

Hope, they will start soon a training camp (mid of November already) for his adjustment as well as for the entire team, which already had some changes this fall. Players are getting rusted because of such a long break. Any new thoughts for the 2020-2021 season?

Edited November 14, 2020 by Alexandron

[Alexandron]

Who do you see a center for the Fiala - Kaprizov line this season? Not sure if Rossi will be available soon.  I was thinking about  Alex Galchenyuk, but he moved to Ottawa. How about Mayhew? I think he could be a possible candidate for that position. EEK or Greenway maybe or maybe not?

[lynxrattle]

Johansson or Bjugstad I would guess.

[Alexandron]

20 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

Johansson or Bjugstad I would guess.

Agree. They are still our guess. I do not see yet the solid#1 center for the Wild team. Probably, we will see many different tryouts for that position this season.

[CreaseAndAssist]

Johansson isn't really at his best as a center.  I think its going to be a bit of a cluster to say the least.  The only bright side is if none of them can really do what is needed you'll have plenty of space and roster spots available to try again next season.  

[EmptyShelf]

It should be Rossi.  No time like the present to get him experience.  Too many retreads, and it is a rebuilding year.  He will gain nothing (if allowed to play) in Jrs. or the AHL.  Start him with the big club this year.  Let Fiala, Kap, and Rossi grow together.  Pick the best of the new re-tread C's and let him play on lines 1 or 3 as the alternative to EEK, and play Rossi on Line 2.

[CreaseAndAssist]

Most of what I'm seeing and reading, would indicate the team will probably let him keep developing in the Swiss National League where he'll get more ice time and opportunity.  Not saying I wouldn't want to see Rossi, but I think that might be how the team works the situation given the fact its a truncated season likely to be played in bubbles like it was last year.  

[Alexandron]

Interesting facts, Kirill Kaprizov already had few practices with Nick Bjugstad, Joel Eriksson Ek and Zach Parise according to this link:

https://www.hockeywilderness.com/2020/12/15/22175583/kirill-kaprizov-cannot-stop-smiling-neither-can-we-minnesota-wild-hockey-nhl-season-prospects

 

 

Kaprizov's nice smile reminds me Gagarin's smile of the first man to fly into outer space who always liked smiling through his entire life. 

[Alexandron]

Probably, some our fans had a chance to watch this short video "The best of Kirill Kaprizov/ Hockey Highlights":

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yi9WJ_E4oQ

 

As well as that video of Kevin Fiala all 23 goals of 2019-2020 season:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVkIZNKlXmc

 

 

 

 

[Alexandron]

I have  heard( and I do believe to it), it will be, no doubt, a highly elevated interest to our team for the fans across the ocean, because Kirill Kaprizov was the best KHL player there for few seasons in a row and they really loved him. They(fans across the ocean) will be watching very attentively our team as they do with Capitals (Ovechkin), Tampa (Kucherov), Rangers (Panarin). Probably, that happened for the first time in the Wild 20 years of history.  And thanks to the Bill Guerin, who finally out of 3 managers was able to sign him last year. Thus, the Wild team should take more seriously every game and every point because the whole globe will be watching our team more. I think, our West Division is not as deadly as the East Division in NHL. We are capable to show some good games in that Division because we have also a superb individual talent of Fiala as well as experienced players like Minnesotan Parise, Spurgeon, Suter, Brodin, Bonino, Minnesotan Bjugstad , Talbot, Foligno, Dumba... 

I would like to congratulate every Wild fan with the beginning of the new 2020-2021 NHL season, which is going to start very soon (in 1 day).

[Jimtown guy]

[lynxrattle]

Fiala - Kaprizov PP duo looked very promising. Hopefully after this season someone like Barkov or Dubois would feel tempted centering them.

[Alexandron]

2 hours ago, Jimtown guy said:

Wow. He added a new achievement to his other multiple achievement records - 1st NHL player in history to have 3+ points and OT winning goal in his NHL debut. Thanks a lot Jimtown Guy. It is a nice starting game for him in NHL.

[lynxrattle]

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhls-four-surprising-teams-2021-makes-tick/

 

The Wild is getting noticed positively. The change agent being of course Kaprizov. I still can't believe our luck. It seems we have in him a player who can skate, score, hit, pass, deke, who has a wonderful hockey IQ, who makes his team mates better and has a team first mentality, good character and who has not forgotten hockey is a game - so he's fun as well. This kind of stuff happens to the other teams, not to the Wild. Who can we even compare him to? Somebody said perhaps Datsyuk or Kane. It's crazy.

[Alexandron]

4 hours ago, lynxrattle said:

https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/nhls-four-surprising-teams-2021-makes-tick/

 

The Wild is getting noticed positively. The change agent being of course Kaprizov. I still can't believe our luck. It seems we have in him a player who can skate, score, hit, pass, deke, who has a wonderful hockey IQ, who makes his team mates better and has a team first mentality, good character and who has not forgotten hockey is a game - so he's fun as well. This kind of stuff happens to the other teams, not to the Wild. Who can we even compare him to? Somebody said perhaps Datsyuk or Kane. It's crazy.

Thanks. Nice article, nice words about the team; nice words also and about Kahkonen too. Not as many good articles I have read in a recent years;but mainly slow ; boring to watch,; no chances to move up without rebuilding. 

Regarding Kaprizov. You were reading my mind. I was thinking a lot that he is perhaps a 2nd Datsyuk so far. 1st of all Kirill learned a lot from Datsyuk when played with him during Olympics and World Championship and played against him few seasons in KHL and Gagarin Cup Playoffs. 2-nd , Dumba said that Kirill is so "infectious" to play better around him and the team is trying to play better. Many players just bloomed after his arrival to our team. And probably, Kirill already showed some Datsyuk  and his tricks to the team too. 3rd, Pavel Datsyuk is a 2 times Stanley Cup Champion and helped to bring Red Wings to finals few times. As soon as he moved to KHL  then Detroit Red Wings became unnoticeable .

[Alexandron]

Definitely, Kirill Kaprizov already is making a history for the Wild team. His potential award for this year could be a Calder Memorial Trophy as the best NHL rookie of the season. So far he is having the most points among all NHL rookies - 17 points out of 19 games(6 goals;11 assists; +/- +8). I just looked through the list of Calder Trophy winners (1932-2020) and did not find any rookie players from our team who has got this award. Interesting facts , that Minnesota North Star team had 2 winners in their history - Dany Grant(1968-69) and Bobby Smith(1978-79). And during the last decade Colorado Avalanche had 3 winners. Last year was Cale Makar.

[lynxrattle]

It's a tough year. Stützle, Lankinen, Suter among others playing really well. Who knows about Kähkönen as well. We'll keep our fingers crossed Kaprizov and Kähkönen keep on getting better. It would be so cool to have a Calder trophy for a Wild player

[Alexandron]

14 minutes ago, lynxrattle said:

It's a tough year. Stützle, Lankinen, Suter among others playing really well. Who knows about Kähkönen as well. We'll keep our fingers crossed Kaprizov and Kähkönen keep on getting better. It would be so cool to have a Calder trophy for a Wild player

I agree. It would be so cool to get trophy for the Wild team. And Kaapo Kahkonen  is also could be a potential winner of that trophy this season. Interesting that both players (Kirill Kaprizov and Kaapo Kahkonen) have the same initials KK.