Minnesota Wild
Wild Turn of Events as Kirill Kaprizov Could Need Surgery
Reports are surfacing Kirill Kaprizov might have returned too soon from an injury and could need surgery that would keep him out 6 weeks.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith of The Athletic are reporting that Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov could require surgery. The superstar recently returned after missing time and has played in three games since his attempted comeback on January 23 against Utah. He has no goals and two assists, and it looks like he’s not got the same offensive punch that he had before the injury.
“Kirill Kaprizov missed practice Tuesday and, according to multiple league sources, there have been discussions between Kaprizov, Minnesota Wild management and doctors over the past few days over whether Kaprizov should undergo surgery this week for a lower-body injury that has been ailing him since mid-December.”
Not wanting to get too much into the details of the injury itself, “Just something happened,” Kaprizov said when talking to the media. He added, “It’s now good.”
Perhaps it’s not. The Wild are set to meet with the media this morning to provide an update.
GM Bill Guerin said at the time of Kaprizov’s injury that the team would extra cautious with his rehab and return. The last thing they wanted to do was rush him back. It’s unclear if the team feels they did, but if he undergoes surgery, league sources say he could miss around six weeks.
What Does This Mean for the Wild at the Trade Deadline?
The injury timeline would bring Kaprizov back in time to potentially be part of the playoffs, which could explain why the Wild want to do this now. Because the issue likely isn’t season-ending, the Wild can’t go spending his $9 million cap hit at the trade deadline. They’ll need to have the space to bring him back when he’s able to play again.
Next: NHL Trade Talk Recap: Avs, Maple Leafs, Jets & Hurricanes
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