Imagining Teams Kaprizov Would Be A Great Fit On If He Leaves Minnesota
There has been a lot of talk surrounding Kirill Kaprizov and if he really did turn down a contract that would've made him the highest paid player in league history. He may also now be on the trade block if the Minnesota Wild can't sign their superstar, but nothing has been confirmed on that front. The Wild would likely like to keep that under wraps if they can. Regardless, teams are going to come to the Wild with trade offers if they even think it is a possibility. We're going to imagine a number of teams that could and should at least try.
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche don't have cap space right now, but there's no certainty on Martin Necas' future. Some depth players just have one year left on their deals, and Artturi Lehkonen and Sam Girard, who eat up some cap space, each have two years left on their contracts. If Kaprizov wanted to play with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Colorado would be the place to do it and the Avalanche could pull it off.
Utah Mammoth
The Utah Mammoth are going to be good and likely take a step into the playoffs after adding JJ Peterka. Bringing in Kaprizov as well would be a massive year for a team in a new city going all out to win. There would be enough cap space if Nick Schmaltz, Alex Kerfoot, and a couple more players move on, but Kaprizov with Clayton Keller, Dylan Guenther, Logan Cooley, Mikhail Sergachev, Peterka, and the prospects on the way would be hard to stop.
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings have had a poor offseason, but one move could make up for the lack of talent brought in for a team on the cusp of making it back to the playoffs. Apparently the Yzerplan is still in play and the future is bright in Detroit, but Kaprizov would push the team into the playoffs now with the top prospects coming soon. Kaprizov alongside Dylan Larkin, Marco Kasper, Lucas Raymond, and Alex DeBrincat up front would make that an elite offensive squad.
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are reportedly very interested in Kaprizov if he's available. Regardless of whether Juraj Slafkovsky stays on the top line or not, Kaprizov would be added to a group of Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov, and Lane Hutson. That team is challenging for the Stanley Cup immediately. They still have cap space to spare.
New Jersey Devils
It would take a better player or two moving out, but adding Kaprizov would put the New Jersey Devils over the top as they continue to make playoffs and chase the Cup. Adding a winger of Kaprizov's talent to lines with Jack Hughes or Nico Hischier would be elite, especially if Jesper Bratt is still around. The team would need to get rid of Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat at the very least.
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are regarded as one of the rebuilding teams that could win the Stanley Cup the quickest and I would agree with the young group of talented players. While an unsigned Mason McTavish might be part of the cost, there are still forwards like Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Beckett Sennecke, and Roger McQueen. The Ducks are already ready to compete for a playoff spot this season and I think they can do it. Anaheim has a large amount of cap space, especially after this season.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets have cap space and plenty of contracts they could move out, keeping talents like Kirill Marchenko, Zach Werenski, and Adam Fantilli. This team is on the cusp and a superstar like Kaprizov, who they can easily afford, would be a game-changer and make them a playoff team instantly.
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are still weak up the middle, but there's never a problem with getting stronger on the wing. With a ton of cap space, icing two Russian stars alongside each other on the top line would be something hardly ever seen. Kaprizov and Matvei Michkov playing on the same line and power play would be extremely dangerous offensively.
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks aren't good right now, but they are going to be with Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Michael Misa, William Eklund, Sam Dickinson, and Yaroslav Askarov. Adding Kaprizov on a huge contract wouldn't do much to the amount of cap space the team has available and would speed up the rebuild very quickly. The Sharks would go and add more players that could help the team win sooner and they'd be back in the playoffs in 1-2 years. Kaprizov and Celebrini on a line would be something special.
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks, along with the Sharks, will be in the mix for the top selection in the 2026 draft, Gavin McKenna. Add that to what they already have. The Blackhawks also aren't ready to compete yet, but they have a better overall forward group than the Sharks and Connor Bedard has an extra year under his belt. The team has tons of cap space and are waiting for that elite winger to help Bedard out. Along with the young star, Kaprizov would be joining Frank Nazar, Oliver Moore, Anton Frondell, Sam Rinzel, Artyom Levshunov, and much more.
This list of teams is courtesy of The Mug.
Photo credit: © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
