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
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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.
Kirill Kaprizov could miss more time than just Minnesota Wild vs Calgary
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”.
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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.