The Minnesota Wild currently find themselves in a difficult predicament due to the worsening injury of their star forward, Kirill Kaprizov. In the absence of their leading goal scorer, the Wild have dropped to fifth place in the cumulative Western Conference standings. According to the latest update, Minnesota will have to cope without Kaprizov for an extended period, as the left winger is now set to undergo surgery. But what exactly happened to Kirill Kaprizov?
Here are all the available details regarding the 27-year-old forward’s current health status.
What happened to Kirill Kaprizov?
While Kirill Kaprizov has not sustained a new injury, he will undergo surgery to address the persistent lower-body issue that first sidelined him in December 2024.
The injury initially forced Kaprizov out for five weeks, causing him to miss a total of 12 games. He made a surprise return to the ice on January 23 and played in the Wild’s next three games. However, Kaprizov has now been ruled out again and is expected to miss a minimum of four weeks due to surgery, with the recovery timeline potentially extending to six weeks.
Minnesota’s general manager, Bill Guerin, confirmed the update on Tuesday, stating, “It’s unfortunate. Kirill was having a Hart Trophy-type season. It’s disappointing for him. It’s disappointing for us, too, but we’ve put ourselves in a good position in the standings and with the way we’re playing.”
Guerin also reiterated that Kaprizov has not suffered a new injury but has struggled to fully recover from the one that initially sidelined him in December. “He just never came around,” the veteran GM clarified, as per Star Tribune. “This is something that we feel — he feels, his agent feels — is necessary.”
So far, Kirill Kaprizov has been the Wild’s most prolific player despite his recurring injury struggles. He has recorded an impressive 52 points this season, with 23 goals and 29 assists in 37 games. His absence will be a significant blow to the Wild as they continue their push in the NHL standings.
