Kirill Kaprizov

Kaprizov playing for Metallurg Novokuznetsk against Dinamo Minsk in 2015.

Kaprizov made his Kontinental Hockey League debut playing with his hometown club Metallurg Novokuznetsk during the 2014–15 KHL season, after being drafted first overall in the 2014 KHL Junior Draft.[4] On 21 August 2015, Kaprizov was signed to a three-year contract extension to remain with Metallurg Novokuznetsk.[5]

On 2 May 2016, he was traded to Salavat Yulaev Ufa.[6] He would play one season for Ufa, totaling 42 points in 49 games before being traded to CSKA Moscow in 2017 in exchange for monetary compensation.[7] He played in the 2018 and 2019 Gagarin Cup finals, winning the latter. During his final season under contract with CSKA in 2019–20, Kaprizov set career highs marks with 33 goals, 29 assists, and 62 points and tied his career best in games played with 57. His 33 goals led the KHL for the second straight season and his 62 points ranked third in scoring. He registered his 100th career goal on 15 October 2019, becoming the youngest player in KHL history to do so, at 22-years, 172-days old. In the postseason, Kaprizov posted four points in CSKA's first-round series sweep against Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod before the KHL cancelled its season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, he and the rest of CSKA team were awarded the title of Russian champions based on regular standings.[8] During his KHL career, Kaprizov was selected to five KHL All-Star Games in each year from 2016 to 2020.

Kaprizov was drafted by the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, 135th overall. According to Wild owner Craig Leipold, the Wild's scouting department only became aware of Kaprizov when smog from the 2014 California wildfires delayed their flight home from a scouting trip in Russia. This allowed them to attend one of Kaprizov's games while playing for Metallurg Novokuznetsk.[3] Upon being drafted by the Wild, Kaprizov learned about Minnesota from his Novokuznetsk teammate and Minnesota native Ryan Stoa. He has credited Stoa with motivating and helping him to learn English to prepare for his career in the NHL.[9]

On 13 July 2020, Kaprizov signed a two-year, entry-level deal with the Minnesota Wild.[10] The contract would include the COVID-19 impacted and prolonged 2019–20 season, effectively burning the first year of his deal.[11] Kaprizov made his NHL debut on 14 January 2021, against the Los Angeles Kings. He tallied three points, including the game-winning goal in overtime, in a 4–3 victory for the Wild, becoming the first player in NHL history to score three points and an overtime goal in his debut,[12] and also becoming the third player in NHL history to score an overtime goal in his debut.[13] He was subsequently named NHL First Star of the Week for the week ending 17 January.[14] Kaprizov scored his first NHL hat trick on 12 March, in a 4–0 victory over the Arizona Coyotes.[15] On 19 April, Kaprizov scored his 37th point, breaking the Wild's franchise record for points by a rookie which was previously held by Marián Gáborík (in 2000–01). Despite the shortened 2020–21 NHL season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kaprizov set Wild franchise records for goals and points by a rookie, with 27 goals and 51 points. He would eventually be awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy as rookie of the year, becoming the first player in Wild franchise history to receive the honor. He received 99 out of 100 first place votes, the highest percentage since Teemu Selänne in 1993.[16]

On 21 September 2021, Kaprizov signed a five-year, $45 million contract with the Wild.[17] The contract came after months of negotiating in which Kaprizov was reported to be willing to return to CSKA Moscow if he had not come to terms with the Wild;[18] however, regarding these reports Kaprizov said there was "no chance" he would have returned to the KHL.[19] As a result of the contract, Kaprizov became the highest-paid sophomore player in NHL history.[20] After starting the season with 40 points in 32 games, Kaprizov was selected to his first NHL All-Star Game.[21] At All-Star weekend, he participated in the Breakaway Challenge in the NHL All-Star Skills Competition, with a tribute to Alexander Ovechkin by wearing Ovechkin's jersey and performing his famed "hot stick" celebration following a goal.[22] On 2 April 2022, Kaprizov broke Marián Gáborík's franchise record for points in a season with 84, and later in the month would go on to break Gáborík's franchise record for goals in a season with 43.[23] By season's end, Kaprizov set Wild franchise records in each of the major scoring categories with 47 goals, 61 assists, and 108 points.[24]