Kaprizov key to the Wild's playoff campaign
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The Wild hope Kirill Kaprizov scores more in their upcoming playoff series. Photo: Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images
The Minnesota Wild — depleted by injuries since November and hamstrung all year by salary cap restrictions — have nonetheless battled their way into the playoffs' second wild-card spot.
State of play: Their reward is a date with the heavily-favored Vegas Golden Knights, who have routinely been a stumbling block for the Kirill Kaprizov-era Wild.
- The Knights have won 13 of the last 18 meetings with Minnesota, including a 2021 first-round playoff tilt.
Zoom in: Vegas is led by top center and chief playmaker Jack Eichel, leading scorer Pavel Dorofeyev, and gritty backchecking forward Mark Stone.
Yes, but: The Wild weren't icing healthy rosters in their last three games against the Golden Knights, but they will be this weekend.
What they're saying: "We're back, right? We're good. We're confident," defenseman Jake Middleton told reporters in the locker room Tuesday — shirtless in his signature "tarps off" postgame attire, grinning despite being less than an hour removed from barreling headfirst into the end boards.
- "This time of year, anything can happen."
The intrigue: No Minnesota player has more to prove this postseason than Kaprizov, who's coming off injuries that robbed him of half the season.
- For all Kaprizov's MVP-caliber skill, he has been a spotty playoff performer and hasn't proven he can singlehandedly change the course of a playoff series the way other top-tier NHL talents can, The Athletic notes.
Between the lines: Kaprizov has looked healthy in four games back from injury. He has looked rusty at times, but was also brilliant in a critical win over Vancouver.
- Another recently-injured winger, Joel Eriksson Ek, looks every bit himself. He has resumed hunting for rebounds in front of the net, with five goals in his last four games.
By the numbers: The Wild — who have long relied on their defense — let in 11 more goals than they scored this season, the worst goal differential of any playoff team by far.
- This is due in part to Kaprizov and Eriksson Ek's absences. Their differential was +9 before Kaprizov's late December injury, and –11 the rest of the season.
- It also shows how badly the Wild need Matt Boldy and Marco Rossi to produce for the team to have a prayer.
What we're watching: Whether the Wild play touted defenseman Zeev Buium, who signed with the team last weekend, mere days after he played in collegiate hockey's Frozen Four.
- His extraordinary potential as a scorer has fans salivating — and could elevate the Wild's middling power play attack.
What's next: The puck drops for Game 1 in Las Vegas at 9pm on Sunday.