Wild Superstar Named MVP Candidate

The Minnesota Wild are off to a historic start thanks to their MVP candidate.

Oct 19, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Minnesota Wild left wing Kirill Kaprizov (97) looks to shoot against the Columbus Blue Jackets during the third period at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images / Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images

The Minnesota Wild are off to a historic start to their season. With a 4-0-2 record through six games, the team has yet to trail during a game. It's an impressive statistic, seeing as they've played stiff competition like the St. Louis Blues and a recent 5-1 thumping of the Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.

First-rate goaltending is propelling the Wild to their hot start, but the credit also should go to superstar Russian forward Kirill Kaprizov. The team's top player is off and rolling this year, with two goals and 10 points in six games, with four of those points coming with the man advantage.

His production early on is enough to capture the attention of multiple NHL writers and analysts including Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. On a recent written edition of 32 Thoughts, Friedman made it clear that Kaprizov is putting himself into the Hart Trophy conversation as the league's most valuable player. He compared Kaprizov to New York Rangers' star Artemi Panarin, as they both were overlooked for some time in the NHL despite MVP-level production.

"You know that guy," Friedman wrote. "That guy who’s never won the Hart Trophy. The guy who deserves more conversation, but doesn’t get enough love. The guy who suddenly reaches that sweet spot where en masse, voters say, “He’s earned a push.” (Artemi Panarin is another example.) Kaprizov avoids the spotlight and never has reached the second round of the playoffs — not solely on him."

The comparison feels apt and accurate. Kaprizov and Panarin are both elite scorers who have never received enough consideration in Hart Trophy voting. Friedman points out also that Kaprizov received zero votes last year and just a sole third-place vote the season prior.

He came his closest during 2022, receiving a handful of first and second place votes and even more fourth and fifth-place votes. This came after he had recorded 47 goals and 108 points on 53-win Wild team. A team that doesn't win half of those games without Kaprizov's production.

That could change this year though. Kaprizov and the Wild have the NHL on notice through the first two and a half weeks. If they keep this up and he finishes with another 100+ point season, it could finally be the year that Kaprizov receives more Hart Trophy consideration and maybe eve takes the award home.

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