The Minnesota Wild are on the verge of getting a massive piece back in the lineup ahead of the Stanley Cup Playoffs later this month.
Kirill Kaprizov, who has been sidelined for 25 games after suffering a lower-body injury, could return as soon as next Wednesday after being cleared for contact.
“While both players returned to the Twin Cities from New York to resume skating with Andy Ness and get better treatments than on the road, it’s starting to feel like Kaprizov could return as soon as next Wednesday against the San Jose Sharks. Coach John Hynes said Kaprizov had a positive checkup with his New York surgeon on Tuesday and has been cleared for contact. Hynes wasn’t ready to pinpoint when Kaprizov could play for the first time since Jan. 26, but it’s clearly on the horizon.”
This is a huge update for the Wild. Yes, they’re tied for the top Wild Card spot with the St. Louis Blues in the Western Conference, but Kaprizov is arguably their best player. Despite playing just 37 games in 2024-25, he’s still third on the team in points with 52. The Russian has scored 23 goals and tallied 29 helpers.
When healthy, Kaprizov is an electrifying player for the Wild and he’ll be a major addition just in time for the playoffs. Minnesota has a seven-point lead over the Calgary Flames in the Wild Card race but has lost four of its last five games. They need to turn it around in a hurry and inserting Kaprizov back in the lineup could certainly add a spark.
As noted in The Athletic piece, Joel Eriksson Ek is also trending towards a return. The 28-year-old hasn’t suited up since Feb. 22 due to injury, but he was a full participant in practice earlier in the week. Eriksson Ek has 24 points in 42 outings in 2024-25.
The Wild are getting healthy at just the right time.
