The Minnesota Wild are on the ice playing against the Calgary Flames, as I write this unfortunate update on their superstar Kirill Kaprizov. On Thursday, Kaprizov fell victim to an open-ice hit, from Edmonton Oilers forward Drake Caggiula, which resulted in some ugly knee-to-knee contact.
It was 23-year-old Matt Boldy who came to the defense of his 27-year-old teammate, who laid face-down on the ice, after the hit. Kaprizov left the ice for a short time, but returned not long after.
Kirill Kaprizov headed down the tunnel in pain after this collision with Drake Caggiula
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) November 22, 2024
pic.twitter.com/CFCh3BD6pw
Kirill Kaprizov played most of his normal workload, through the last 1.5 periods vs Edmonton. He finished with 22:51 TOI, in 24 total shifts. After scoring a goal in the 1st period, and taking the league lead in points scored, the Wild’s superstar didn’t get on the scoresheet the rest of the evening.
Still, there wasn’t a lot of concern over Kaprizov’s status for Saturday’s game against the Calgary Flames. That was until just minutes before puck drop, when Kirill was ruled OUT with a “lower-body injury”.
This is the first game he’s missed on the season. According to Michael Russo (The Athletic) , however, it may not be the last. Kaprizov’s injury will be further evaluated by the Minnesota Wild’s orthopedist on Sunday. Fellow Russian, Marat Khusnutdinov’s lower-body injury has his future status set as, “Day-to-Day”.
#mnwild's Kirill Kaprizov, tied for the league lead in scoring, will be evaluated for his injury in Minnesota tomorrow, a source says. Marat Khusnutdinov is day-to-day.
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) November 23, 2024
The Minnesota Wild will be without leading scorer Kirill Kaprizov on Saturday afternoon against the Calgary Flames and potentially longer after taking a knee-on-knee hit from the Edmonton Oilers’ Drake Caggiula.
Michael Russo – The Athletic
On the season, Kirill Kaprizov has 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists). That’s tied with Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon for the NHL lead. Per NHL rules (h/t to Russo), Kirill’s franchise-record of 11-straight road games recording a point, has come to an end. Hopefully, if the best player in franchise history has to miss more time, he’s not out long.
More must-reads:
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!