Kirill Kaprizov is still the face of the Minnesota Wild, but as he enters his seventh season in the NHL, he’ll be entering his first without Mats Zuccarello. Zuccarello was more than a linemate for Kaprizov, helping the Wild star acclimate himself after coming over from Russia to debut in the 2020-21 season. But after his departure to the Los Angeles Kings, this season gives Kaprizov an interesting chance to pay it forward as the Wild hope Maxim Shabanov can take Zuccarello’s place.
Shabanov has drawn early hype during camp and will get the first opportunity to play alongside Kaprizov on the top line. But while many are focused on the similarities of Shabanov’s game to Zuccarello, it’s also notable that Kaprizov will take Zuccarello’s role as a mentor for a young player trying to find his way in a new country.
Mats Zuccarello leaves a big void that the Wild must fill
Kaprizov was selected by the Wild in the 2015 NHL Draft, but he didn’t make his way to America during the summer of 2020. According to The Athletic’s Michael Russo, Kaprizov noted that general manager Bill Guerin flew Kaprizov into the country and the team invited him to dinner despite the fact he wouldn’t make his debut until the following season, Zuccarello quickly became one of his closest friends and a “big brother” figure.
Zuccarello helped Kaprizov learn the English language and regularly invited him over for dinner. He also helped Kaprizov take the emotional burden off himself, due to his own expectations and that of a fan base that was starving for a true superstar and that relationship carried over to the ice.
Of Kaprizov’s 230 career goals, Zuccarello assisted on 102 of them and they showed strong chemistry, setting each other up for success. While the Wild could have opted to bring back Zuccarello for another season, they opted to go in a different direction to play a more downhill, attacking style of hockey that Minnesota hopes will get them deeper into the season.
“It’s just part of the hockey. It happens,” Kaprizov said via Russo on Thursday. Somebody signs. Somebody don’t sign and change teams. It’s a lot of business and a lot of times it happens. I just want to talk with him in the future and stay good friends, and just I hope he plays good there and [I] want to watch him this year.”
Kirill Kaprizov has the chance to pay it forward with Maxim Shabanov
While Kaprizov has an eight-year, $136 million contract to help deal with the loss, the hole Zuccarello leaves on the ice is massive. Zuccarello scored 118 goals and racked up 389 points during his seven years with the Wild and how they will replace him has been a key topic entering camp. But while many have focused on who will replace him on the ice, Kaprizov could be the one who fills the void off of it – especially as Shabanov gets comfortable in Minnesota.
Shabanov came to the NHL last season after signing with the New York Islanders but it didn’t go as planned. Playing on the second line, Shabanov scored five goals and had 18 points in 44 games and battled an early upper-body injury and a significant lower-body injury that knocked him out for a 12-game stretch during the month of March.
The season went so poorly, the Islanders declined the chance to tender him last offseason. But after signing with the Wild, Kaprizov could be the player that helps him reach his potential. It’s not a matter of talent as Shabanov scored 23 goals and 67 points in his final season (2024-25) with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL. But having a teammate like Kaprizov could allow him to find more open areas, which is something that the Wild star has noticed after Minnesota’s first practice of the season.
“He’s pretty skilled. He’s fast,” Kaprizov said. “When I talk with him, I see last year, it was a little but [of a] tough year for him. …It was up and down. I think just have confidence feeling the game. Get some more time on the ice and have more chances, stuff like this, he can be a really good player. He’s already a really good player because he was one of the best players in the KHL two years in a row. He’s really good in skill and [a] good skater [with] smart, nice vision.”
Establishing chemistry on the ice will be important. But if Kaprizov can help Shabanov acclimate off of it, there could be a new bromance blossoming on the top line. That may be the best way that the Wild can replace Zuccarello and gives Kaprizov a big task entering this season.
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